Review

• AI-based support for loneliness among older adults in Japan: insights from unstructured data
  Yoshihisa Hirakawa
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 103-108

Original Articles

• Social isolation/vulnerability and support for loneliness in a rural Japanese cohort: a questionnaire-based observational study
  Yoshio Hisata, Yuki Ueda, Mamoru Urayama, Naoko E. Katsuki, Masaki Tago, Katsumi Higashino, Yoshio Naya
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 109-116
• Qualitative study on the job satisfaction of public health physicians
  Daiki Nakashima, Yoshihisa Hirakawa, Noriko Murata, Hiroki Ishikawa
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 117-122
• Value of the Hyodo score in predicting swallowing function in patients with aspiration pneumonia
  Masato Murakami, Tsuneo Okada
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 123-127
• Exploration of factors associated with eGFR slope improvement before and after intensive treatment of patients with diabetic nephropathy at high risk of disease progression: a retrospective cohort study
  Mayumi Kiku, Saori Sako, Tomomi Inada, Sachiyo Hayashi, Mitsuhiro Terada, Kazuhiko Shibata, Kosuke Robert Shima
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 128-135
• Qualitative research on health issues and background factors of menopausal female workers: an examination from physical, psychological, and social perspectives
  Shinako Yoshitake, Takashi Nakamura, Yoshihisa Hirakawa
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 136-146
• Changes in women’s subjective health perceptions through online balance ball lessons: a qualitative study
  Shinako Yoshitake, Takashi Nakamura, Yoshihisa Hirakawa
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 147-155
• Geographic barriers and transportation burden in rural cancer care: a GIS-based assessment of support needs among non-cohabiting family caregivers
  Yoshiko Kitamura, Hisao Nakai, Ikumo Naruse, Miku Yazaki, Yukie Maekawa
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 156-169
• Impact of antiemetic use on stroke cases from the Japanese Society Aeromedical Service Registration System
  Noriko Tanaka, Hiroki Nagasawa, Chihiro Maekawa, Soichiro Ota, Hiromichi Ohsaka, Kazuhiko Omori, Youichi Yanagawa
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 170-174
• Maternal healthcare deserts in West Texas
  Jeff A. Dennis, Katherine Lakey, Caitlin Lowry
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 175-179
• Educational attainment and population density are associated with the number of physician home visits: an ecological study of Japan’s 47 prefectures
  Teruhiko Imanaga
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 180-185
• Correlation between the regional differences in rehabilitation and the lifelong learning among physical therapists: an ecological study
  Yoshiaki Noji
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 186-193

Field Reports

• Relationship between metabolic syndrome, metabolic syndrome-related factors, and all-cause mortality in the O City Cohort I survey: a 28-year follow-up study of rural Japanese residents
  Mako Toda, Koutatsu Maruyama, Isao Saito, Shinji Tanaka, Yutaka Takeuchi, Hirotada Okubo, Tadahiro Kato
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 194-204
• Changes in assertiveness over a one-year period among psychiatric day care users with schizophrenia and associated background factors
  Miyuki Saito, Hideka Watanabe
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 205-209

Case Reports

• Emergency medical cases related to bamboo shoot harvesting: a case series and literature review
  Youichi Yanagawa, Raiki Tokutsu, Yurie Otsuka, Noriko Tanaka, Chihiro Maekawa, Masashi Kato, Hiroki Nagasawa
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 210-215
• Esophageal submucosal hematoma associated with apixaban therapy: a case report
  Koji Takahashi, Nana Yamada, Terunao Iwanaga, Takafumi Sakuma, Junichi Senoo, Hidehiro Kamezaki
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 216-220
• Gangrenous cholecystitis in a non-elderly man taking opioids
  Tatsuo Kanda, Naho Maruyama, Moeka Kasuga, Yoshiki Kato, Hiromi Miyashita, Reina Sasaki-Tanaka, Kohei Honda
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 221-224
• Remnant cystic duct cancer with gradual enlargement over two years of follow-up: a case report and literature review
  Takashi Kondo, Hiroyuki Ariga, Naoki Iso, Kenta Okada, Kohei Ono, Junya Kashimura
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 225-230
• Laparoscopic management of an incidentally detected unruptured right gastroepiploic artery aneurysm: a case report and literature review
  Takuya Iguchi, Ryosuke Aoki, Jiro Imura, Yoshiaki Haba, Wataru Adachi
  J Rural Med. 2026 Apr; 21(2): 231-236