e-Source: Behavioral and Social Science Research - (Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, NIH (OBSSR)) - This website provides access to 20 interactive chapters with authoritative answers to methodological questions on behavioral and social science research. With contributions from a team of international experts, this anthology provides the latest information on addressing emerging challenges in public health.

Federal Economic Development Funding - (General Accountability Office (GAO) US) - Table of the urban-rural continuum and modified RUCA Codes for all counties in the United States.

HSRR (Health Services and Sciences Research Resources) - (National Library of Medicine, National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology) - HSRR is a searchable database of information about research datasets, instruments/indices and software. Users may examine and compare characteristics of some of the resources employed in Health Services Research, the Behavioral and Social Sciences and Public Health. The database includes brief descriptions of research resources and links to PubMed. It also includes URLs of providers for additional information or access to the resources. HSRR is not a repository of the actual resources.

Rural Health Information Technology Toolkit - (Rural Assistance Center (RAC)) - This toolkit developed by the Rural Assistance Center (RAC) and the National Rural Health Resource Center (The Center) is designed to help rural providers find resources for HIT, electronic health records (EHR), meaningful use and related topics.

Rural Health Topics - (United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)) - Links to general rural health resources as well as informational topic pages on specific rural health issues. Includes data, best practices, and case studies.

Rural Statistics and Data - (Rural Assistance Center (RAC)) - Access to sites provides rural health statistics and data.

Guidelines, Journals, Other Publications

Healing Rural Patients With A Dose Of Broadband - (Federal Communications Commission (FCC) US) - As part of its National Broadband Plan, the Federal Communications Commission has pledged $400 million a year to connect nearly 12,000 rural health care providers. Link to article.

The Health Needs of Rural Veterans - (Health Services Research and Development Service, Veterans Administration (HSR&D)) - Links to the October 2010 issue of the VA's HSR&D that focuses on rural health issues, to include access and quality of care.

Rural Assistance Center Information Portal - (Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) U.S.) - Information portal with links to tools, funding sources, documents, journals, and organizations that support or perform research related to rural health and human services.

Rural Economy and Population - Briefs from USDA - (United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)) - Find a variety of briefs from the Economic Research Service at the USDA, including Rural Wealth Creation, Health Status and Health Care Access of Farm and Rural Populations, etc.

Rural Health - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)) - Links to AHRQ evidence reports, activities, and data on rural health.

Rural Health and Emergency Preparedness - paper prepared in April 2002 by the Office of Rural Health, Health Resources and Services Administration

Rural Health Topics - (United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)) - Links to general rural health resources as well as informational topic pages on specific rural health issues. Includes data, best practices, and case studies.

Rural Health Webcast: Laying the Foundation for Health Reform - (Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) US) - Webcast Briefing sponsored by the Alliance for Health Reform and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Experts answer questions about how some aspects of pending health reform proposals may have a substantial impact on rural care. What provisions in the various reform proposals affect rural health care? What particular challenges need to be overcome in order to improve care delivery in rural areas? What aspects of health reform will require special accommodation in rural areas? Are delivery systems in rural areas currently able to handle the influx of new patients coverage expansion would bring? How does HIT factor into rural reform?

Rural vs. Urban Ambulatory Health Care Review - (Health Services Research and Development Service, Veterans Administration (HSR&D)) - This systematic literature review examines the evidence regarding potential disparities between rural and urban areas in health care provision and delivery, and how differences in health care may contribute to disparities in health outcomes.

Key Organizations/Programs

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) - (Federal Office of Rural Health Policy) - Promotes better health care service in rural America.

Flex Monitoring Team - (Federal Office of Rural Health Policy) - The Rural Health Research Centers at the Universities of Minnesota, North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and Southern Maine (the Flex Monitoring Team), are the recipients of a 5-year cooperative agreement award from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy to continue to monitor and evaluate the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program (Flex Program). The monitoring project is assessing the impact of the Flex Program on Critical Access Hospitals and their communities and the role of states in achieving overall program objectives.

National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) - NOSORH was created in 1995 by State Offices of Rural Health to promote a healthy rural America through state and community leadership.

National Rural Health Association - National nonprofit membership organization with more than 18,000 members. The association's mission is to provide leadership on rural health issues.

Office of Rural Health, Veterans Health Administration - (Health Services Research and Development Service, Veterans Administration (HSR&D)) - Conducts, coordinates, promotes, and disseminates studies and analyses into issues affecting Veterans living in rural and highly rural areas, in cooperation with the medical, rehabilitation, health services and cooperative studies research programs.

Rural Health - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)) - Links to AHRQ evidence reports, activities, and data on rural health.

Rural Health Research Gateway - Federal program that is dedicated entirely to producing policy-relevant research on health care in rural areas. Initiated in 1988, it is administered by the Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP), Health Resources and Services Administration.

Rural Health Resource Center - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)) - Key element to the nation's 10-year strategy to bring health care into the 21st century by advancing the use of information technology. This AHRQ initiative includes more than $260 million in grants and contracts in 41 states to support and stimulate investment in health IT, especially in rural and underserved areas.

Rural Health Roundtable Forums - (George Mason University US) - Link to forums from 1997 to 2002 re exchanging ideas in rural health in America.

The Rural Information Center (RIC) - (United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)) - Provides services for rural communities, local officials, organizations, businesses and rural citizens working to maintain the vitality of America's rural areas.

Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis - (University of Iowa College of Public Health USA) - Provides unbiased analysis and information on the challenges, needs, and opportunities facing rural America.