Rural areas are the source of much of our food, drinking water, energy production, and outdoor recreation. What’s more, one in five Americans—including a disproportionate number of veterans and active-duty service members—lives in a rural community. And those communities are unceasingly diverse—one in four Americans is a person of color. All of this makes the study of the health needs and challenges of rural Americans essential to everyone.

NORC has deep and longstanding expertise in rural health, having examined issues contributing to the health of rural Americans since publishing its first rural study in 1952. Our work focuses on identifying solutions that leverage the many strengths and assets of rural communities to improve the health and well-being of their residents while advancing health equity.

Our Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis has a team of talented and dedicated researchers who partner with rural residents, health providers, public health departments, and other entities committed to improving the health of rural residents. The center focuses on a wide array of issues affecting rural communities, including:

• Access to care
  
• Aging
  
• Economic development
  
• Emergency preparedness
  
• Health care quality
  
• Medicare payment policies
  
• Payment and delivery models
  
• Public health
  
• Rural health workforce
  
• Telehealth
  
• Tribal health
  
• Veterans’ health