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Rural Health
Research Gateway

Children and adolescents

Research Products & Journal Articles

Browse the full list of research publications on this topic completed by the Rural Health Research Centers.

Products – Freely accessible products include policy briefs, fact sheets, full reports, chartbooks, and interactive data websites.

Journal Articles – Articles in peer-reviewed journals may require a subscription or affiliation with a subscribing library. For these publications, Gateway lists the article citation, a brief summary, a link to additional information and access to the full-text of the article, if available.

2024

2022

2021

2020

2019

  • Pediatric Tele-Emergency Care: A Study of Two Delivery Models
    Journal Article
    Rural Telehealth Research Center
    Date: 04/2019
    This study describes two tele-emergency programs that provide care to pediatric populations. Qualitative descriptions of the two tele-emergency department (ED) models and key characteristics of the patient populations served by tele-ED are presented. The study informs others about evaluative measures and how tele-ED works in practice.
  • Rural-Urban Differences in the Decline of Adolescent Cigarette Smoking
    Journal Article
    Maine Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 03/2019
    Comparing survey data from 2008-2010 with 2014-2016, we examined change over time in cigarette smoking among rural and urban adolescents. We found that both rural and urban rates declined, but the decrease was smaller in rural counties, which widened the rural-urban gap in adolescent smoking rates.

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

  • Inadequate Prenatal Care in the Rural United States, 2005
    WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 10/2013
    This policy brief finds that the states with levels of rural inadequate prenatal care (less than 50% of expected visits) in the "worst" or "worse than mid-range" categories were largely in southern and southwestern areas of the United States.
  • Low Birth Weight Rates in the Rural United States, 2005
    WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 10/2013
    This brief shares that the rural U.S. low birth weight rate in 2005 was significantly higher than the urban U.S. low birth weight rate.
  • Patterns of Care for Rural and Urban Children With Mental Health Problems
    Maine Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 06/2013
    This study reports that rural children are significantly less likely to be diagnosed and treated for non-ADHD mental health problems than urban children and are less likely to receive mental health counseling.

2012

  • Childhood Asthma in Rural-Urban Areas
    Policy Brief
    West Virginia Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 06/2012
    This policy brief examines how asthma may be related to rural areas adjacent or non-adjacent to larger population centers, to variation in measures of air quality, to varying levels of agricultural and animal production, and to other characteristics such as obesity, race/ethnicity, or health insurance.
  • Childhood Asthma in Rural-Urban Areas (Final Report)
    West Virginia Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 05/2012
    This report examines how asthma may be related to rural areas adjacent or non-adjacent to larger population centers, to variation in measures of air quality, to varying levels of agricultural and animal production, and to other characteristics such as obesity, race/ethnicity, or health insurance.

2010

  • Access to Mental Health Services and Family Impact of Rural Children With Mental Health Problems
    Maine Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 10/2010
    Rural children are more likely to have mental health problems, to have behavioral difficulties, and to be usually or always affected by their conditions than urban children. Rural children also are more likely to go without access to all parent-reported needed mental health services, and their families spend more time coordinating their care.
  • Mental Health Problems Have Considerable Impact on Rural Children and Their Families
    Policy Brief
    Maine Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 10/2010
    This policy brief provides information on the prevalence of children's mental health needs and associated access to care and family impact across rural and urban areas. Analyses are based on the 2005-06 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs.

2009

  • Differences in Prescribing Patterns of Psychotropic Medication for Children and Adolescents Between Rural and Urban Prescribers
    WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
    Date: 10/2009
    This study reports that prescriptions of all psychotropic drug categories increased for urban and rural populations during the 10-year study period. Urban youth were more likely to be prescribed psychotropic medications by psychiatrists. In contrast, rural youth were more likely to have psychotropics prescribed by generalists or other prescribers.
  • Rural Children Don't Receive the Mental Health Care They Need
    Policy Brief
    Maine Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 01/2009
    Controlling for other characteristics that affect access to care, rural children are 20% less likely to have a mental health visit than urban children. Having Medicaid or SCHIP increases the likelihood that a child will receive services, and this is pronounced in rural areas.

2008

2007

  • Ambulatory Care Sensitive Condition Hospitalizations Among Rural Children (Brief)
    Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 06/2007
    This brief reports results from a study examining children's inpatient hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions, rural residence, poverty, health insurance, and physician supply. Admission rates were examined for asthma, diabetes short-term complications, gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection, and perforated appendix.
  • Substance Abuse Among Rural Youth: A Little Meth and a Lot of Booze
    Maine Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 06/2007
    This research and policy brief examines substance abuse among rural youth, with rural-urban comparisons of methamphetamine, Oxycontin, and alcohol abuse.
  • Rural/Urban Differences in Barriers to and Burden of Care for Children With Special Health Care Needs
    Journal Article
    North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
    Date: 2007
    Examines the barriers and difficulties experienced by rural families of children with special healthcare needs in caring for their children. Covers rural-urban differences in types of providers used, reasons for unmet healthcare needs, insurance and financial difficulties encountered, and the family burden of providing the child's medical care.

2006

2005

2001

  • Patterns of Health Insurance Coverage Among Rural and Urban Children
    Maine Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 11/2001
    This study assesses differences in the patterns of insurance coverage and uninsured spells among rural and urban children in 20 states. It also examines the implications of those differences for the design and implementation of public insurance programs.

1999

1998

1997