rural communities

  • A young man aims a handgun while standing outside.
    alcohol ,

    Youth in rural US who drink are more likely to carry a handgun

    In the rural US, youth who drink heavily are 43% more likely to carry a handgun in the following year, research finds.
  • person in PPE leans into car stopped in front of grain silos
    COVID-19

    In 2021, excess deaths rose in rural America

    Despite the presence of vaccines, excess deaths in year two of the COVID pandemic actually increased in rural areas, research finds.
  • adult breastfeeds baby outdoors as toddler looks on
    breastfeeding

    Support sways rural moms to breastfeed

    A new study clarifies the factors that influence moms, particularly those in rural areas, when deciding about breastfeeding.
  • red gas pump nozzle in red 4x4 vehicle
    money

    Gas prices made inflation worse for rural households

    Inflation hit rural household budgets harder throughout much of 2022, but the rural-urban gap evened out by the end of the year, a report shows.
  • worn downtown storefronts
    aging

    What small towns need for aging in place

    To understand what makes a location good for aging in place, researchers compared small towns in Iowa.
  • A woman walks out of a dollar store while talking on her phone.
    food

    Dollar stores are the fastest growing food stores in the US

    More Americans are buying groceries at dollar stores, which often means getting food that's low in nutrition and high in calories.
  • "emergency" in big red letters on building
    emergency medicine

    ‘Bystander’ hospitals feel the pinch when rural ones close

    When rural hospitals close, bystander emergency rooms elsewhere see an increase in visits, new research finds.
  • A person holds a cigarette in their right hand.
    cigarettes ,

    Cigarette smoking is more common among rural Americans

    People living in rural US are more likely to smoke cigarettes and less likely to quit, according to a new study looking at data from 2010 to 2020.
  • A blood pressure cuff's red tube, pump, and gauge..
    blood pressure

    ‘Village doctors’ can improve blood pressure for rural patients

    Training "village doctors" to help patients manage high blood pressure helped people in hard-to-reach rural areas in China lower their blood pressure.
  • A handgun sits in a dark space with a light shining on it
    guns

    1 in 3 youth in rural areas say they carry a gun by age 26

    Knowing why and when youth in rural areas carry guns could help prevent firearm violence and injury, researchers say.
  • A medical mask laying on a city sidewalk made of bricks
    COVID-19

    How does where people live affect COVID-19 mortality rates?

    "We know it's not just different demographics alone. It's the structural, economic, and social factors that define those places..."
  • A young girl walks to school through a field while carrying a blue backpack
    climate change

    How can teachers educate about climate change in conservative areas?

    How can teachers explain climate change to kids in places where science and politics may be at odds? Educators have strategies that can bridge the divide.