Transportation

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.

2023

Travel for Medical or Dental Care by Race/Ethnicity and Rurality in the U.S.: Findings From the 2001, 2009 and 2017 National Household Travel Surveys
Journal Article
Southwest Rural Health Research Center
Date: 10/2023
This study examines trends in the travel distance and time for medical/dental care trips. Using 2001 to 2017 data from the National Household Travel Survey, our analysis found that travel distance and time increased for rural residents relative to urban residents.
A Consensus Panel Approach to Estimating the Start-Up and Annual Service Costs for Rural Ambulance Agencies
Policy Brief
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 08/2023
This brief fills the information void on the costs of running rural ambulance services and establishes a minimum access standard for ambulances servicing a 25-minute travel time radius from the ambulance station, enabling policymakers and community stakeholders to develop strategic plans for the financing and provision of ambulance services.

2022

Increased Rates of Death From Unintentional Injury Among Non-Hispanic White, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Nonmetropolitan Communities
Policy Brief
Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Date: 07/2022
This brief examines the rate of fatal and nonfatal unintentional injuries in nonmetropolitan and metropolitan areas, with a focus on the effects of race/ethnicity.

2021

Rural Urban Variation in Travel Burdens for Care: Findings From the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (Executive Summary)
Supplement
Southwest Rural Health Research Center
Date: 12/2021
This project focuses on geographic access to medical and dental care, knowing that travel distances can keep people from getting necessary care. The study examines how rural residents' travel behaviors vary by socio-demographic and geographic characteristics and evaluates factors associated with a higher travel burden for medical and dental care.
Barriers to Aging in Place in Rural Communities: Perspectives From State Offices of Rural Health
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 11/2021
This policy brief presents findings from an online survey of State Offices of Rural Health describing barriers for older adults in successfully aging in place in rural communities, and recommendations for how to improve the ability to safely age in place in rural areas of their states.
"They're Not Leaving Their Home; This Is Where They Were Born, This Is Where They Will Die.": Key Informant Perspectives From the U.S. Counties With the Greatest Concentration of the Oldest Old
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 07/2021
Researchers share interview results with key informants from 50 rural U.S. counties with the highest percentage of the residents ages 85 and older or the "oldest old." Respondents shared unique challenges to serving this population, as well as positive attributes of rural communities that make them attractive places for growing older.
Rural-Urban Variations in Travel Burdens for Care: Findings From the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (Policy Brief)
Policy Brief
Southwest Rural Health Research Center
Date: 07/2021
This project focuses on geographic access to medical and dental care, knowing that travel distances can keep people from getting necessary care. The study examines how rural residents' travel behaviors vary by socio-demographic and geographic characteristics and evaluates factors associated with a higher travel burden for medical and dental care.
Characteristics and Challenges of Rural Ambulance Agencies – A Brief Review and Policy Considerations
Report
RUPRI Health Panel: Rural Policy Analysis and Applications
Date: 01/2021
There are 23,272 ambulance agencies in the U.S., and 73% of those agencies report serving rural areas. This paper examines current rural ambulance agency characteristics and challenges and identifies public policy considerations designed to stabilize rural ambulance agencies.

2020

Averted Transfers in Rural Emergency Departments Using Telemedicine: Rates and Costs Across Six Networks
Journal Article
Rural Telehealth Research Center
Date: 08/2020
In a cohort of 4,324 tele-ED cases across 26 months in 65 hospitals in 6 tele-ED networks, 20% were averted transfers, and 43% of those were then routinely discharged rather than being transferred. Averted transfers saved on average $2,673 in avoidable transport costs per patient, with 63.6% of these cost savings accruing to public insurance.

2019

Hospital Closures and Short-Run Change in Ambulance Call Times
Journal Article
Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Date: 11/2019
Hospital closures affect the availability of emergency department services. This paper examines changes in ambulance ride times in areas with hospital closures compared to those in similar areas without hospital closures and separately analyzes changes in ambulance ride times between urban and rural areas and among Medicare-eligible patients.

2018

Rural-Urban Differences in Risk Factors for Motor Vehicle Fatalities
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 09/2018
This study uses 2017 County Health Rankings data to run stratified regression models to estimate county-level correlates of motor vehicle fatalities (MVFs) by rural and urban location. We found that rural counties have higher rates of MVFs than urban counties (22 vs. 14 per 100,000, p<0.001).
Addressing Commuting as a Public Health Issue: Strategies Should Differ by Rurality
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 07/2018
This policy brief estimates the rate of solo and long (greater than 30 minutes) solo car commutes by rurality and urban adjacency and identifies differences in factors that relate to commuting behavior.

2017

Rural Transportation: Challenges and Opportunities
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 11/2017
This policy brief uses survey data from 113 key informants across all 50 states to describe challenges and opportunities related to rural transportation.
Ambulance Services for Medicare Beneficiaries: State Differences in Usage, 2012-2014
Policy Brief
Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Date: 10/2017
Ambulance services are at risk of scaling back or dissolving in some places. We analyzed Medicare beneficiaries' use of ambulance services across the U.S. Improved understanding of how beneficiaries, most of whom are elderly, use these services provides vital information for policymakers who set rules and regulations about access to the services.

2010

Mental Health Services in Rural Jails (Working Paper)
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 08/2010
This study explored the role of rural jails in the mental health systems in rural communities, investigating how rural jails manage mental health and substance abuse problems among inmates, determining barriers to providing mental health services faced by rural jails, and identifying promising practices for service delivery.

2007

The Impact of Health Insurance Coverage on Native Elder Health: Implications for Addressing the Health Care Needs of Rural Native American Elders
Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
Date: 10/2007
This study examines health insurance coverage and access to healthcare among American Indian and Alaska Native elders, defined as 55 years or older. The authors conclude it is essential to develop policies that address the financial, geographical, and cultural aspects that negatively impact access to culturally appropriate healthcare.

2005

Barriers Associated With the Delivery of Medicare Reimbursed Diabetes Self-Management Education
Journal Article
Rural and Minority Health Research Center
Date: 11/2005
Explores the barriers that practitioners face in providing diabetes self-management education to Medicare beneficiaries. Barriers identified for rural providers include costs, the shortage of designated specialists, fewer resources, amount of Medicare reimbursement, transportation and more.
Factors Associated With Incidence of Inappropriate Ambulance Transport in Rural Areas in Cases of Moderate to Severe Head Injury in Children
Journal Article
Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
Date: 2005
An analysis was conducted to identify a set of significant predictors of cases of inappropriate deliveries to acute care facilities with no trauma-center designation of any level. Greater distance to the nearest trauma center and shorter distance traveled by the ambulance squad to the receiving corresponded to higher probabilities of mistriage.