Survey results indicate people living in rural areas would benefit from measures that would remove barriers and ease access to care and treatment.

MAYVILLE, NY (May 28, 2025) – A new survey of rural Americans highlights the significant challenges many face in accessing mental health care and treatments. Rural America is experiencing a mental health emergency; for example, it experiences higher rates of depression and suicide than urban areas. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics indicate suicide rates are 64-68% higher in rural communities compared to urban areas¹.  At the same time, rural residents are less likely to access mental health services.

A new survey from Russell Research, conducted on behalf of Rural Minds – the only national 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on advocating for rural mental health equity, promoting mental wellness, and providing information and resources to confront rural mental health challenges and the stigma that surrounds mental illness – finds that rural residents would greatly benefit from measures that make access to mental health care more convenient.

A total of 1,500 people living in a rural county (evenly divided between Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Florida) responded to the survey.

“These findings reinforce the importance of raising awareness for services available in rural communities to help access mental health care, and the urgency of enacting policy changes that would make it significantly easier to treat more patients and save more lives,” said Jeff Winton, founder and chairman of Rural Minds.

For example, the survey finds that 85% of rural residents would prefer to pick up needed medicines at their local pharmacy rather than at a doctor’s office, which could be many miles from their home. Additionally, 94% of rural residents believe it is important for policymakers to encourage greater access to medicines for treating mental illness.

In other findings from the survey:

• 82% of respondents have one or more barriers to accessing healthcare and mental health treatments, including: poor internet services; costs and other lifestyle barriers; lack of awareness of patient assistance programs; less access to primary care physicians; long distances from medical care; and lack of medical insurance altogether. In addition, there are self-imposed barriers, including a cultural reluctance to ask for help, a lack of trust, and feelings of isolation.

• Many rural residents (44%) are not aware of patient assistance programs created by the Medicare program or drug manufacturers, emphasizing the need to broaden outreach and education about programs that can improve access and affordability.

ABOUT RUSSELL RESEARCH

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1. Health Disparities in Suicide - CDC Suicide Prevention (accessed May 21, 2025)