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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Economics and the economy

Greater Minnesota: Refined & Revisited
Provides information on the composition of Minnesota's geography by urban, large town, small town, and rural based on population and proximity to other communities. Examines economics, demographics, and general well-being of the different population areas with explanation of how they are defined. Includes county-level maps breaking down demographic variables by population size as well as data tables that show population changes by county.
Date: 01/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota State Demographic Center
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Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Impacts
Highlights programs in 6 rural counties to improve the health and well-being of children and families supported by the Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative. Programs included the expansion of the early childhood care and education program, promotion of physical activity through the development of walking and biking routes, and improved accessibility to local foods and support for the local economy.
Date: 2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Luther College, Northeast Iowa Community College
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Involuntary Part-Time Employment: A Slow and Uneven Economic Recovery
Examines trends in involuntary part-time employment from 2000 through 2015. Includes data for rural men and rural women, compared to the overall population. Also compares rural and urban involuntary part-time work for those below the poverty line before, during, and after the recession.
Author(s): Rebecca Glauber
Date: 2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
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Using the ERS County Economic Types To Explore Demographic and Economic Trends in Rural Areas
Discusses six types of counties based on economic industry dependence: farming, mining, manufacturing, federal/state government, recreation, and nonspecialized counties. Describes how these county types can be used to better understand variation in demographic and economic trends in rural areas. Uses the county economic types to examine population, income, and poverty trends.
Author(s): Lorin Kusmin
Citation: Amber Waves
Date: 12/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Vulnerable Rural Counties: The Changing Rural Landscape, 2000-2010
Examined how rural counties were impacted by the 2008 recession, specifically focused on an increase in poverty levels, shifts in population, and loss or reduction of healthcare services and facilities. Includes county-by-county maps with data such as poverty and unemployment rates, elderly population, educational level, non-White population, health insurance coverage, availability of primary care and other specialties, and change in number of hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Appendices include tables comparing urban and rural/remote county statistics.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Author(s): Kevin J. Bennett, Yu-Hsiu Lin, Matthew Yuen, Deshia Leonhirth, Janice C. Probst
Date: 07/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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How the Great Recession Changed U.S. Migration Patterns
Examines changes in county-level net migration due to the recession and housing crisis. Compares net migration during the pre-recession years, 2004-2007, to those during the recession, 2007-2010. Also compares the recession period to the post-recession years, 2010-2014. Includes maps showing migration trends by county. Figure 4 looks at migration by metro/non-metro status. Part of the publication series Population Trends in Post-Recession Rural America.
Author(s): Kenneth M. Johnson, Katherine J. Curtis, David Egan-Robertson
Date: 05/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Applied Population Laboratory
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The Economic Impact of Rural Broadband
Provides an estimate of the direct and indirect economic activities of the rural broadband industry on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and their effect on other rural industries, including healthcare.
Date: 04/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Hudson Institute
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The Economics of Local Food Systems: A Toolkit to Guide Community Discussions, Assessments and Choices
Seven research modules guiding food system planning, economic assessment, and analysis of data. Explains that local food production promotes rural economic revitalization and supports built capital invested in rural communities, and notes the importance of recognizing differences in rural and urban food issues.
Author(s): Dawn Thilmany McFadden, David Conner, Steven Deller, et al.
Date: 03/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Agriculture
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Health in Rural Missouri: The Economic Impact of Critical Access Hospitals
Describes the distribution of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in Missouri. Reports on the economic impact for each CAH, as well as the labor and income impacts on the community.
Date: 2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Missouri Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
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Updated ERS County Economic Types Show a Changing Rural Landscape
Identifies nonmetropolitan counties based on the industries driving income and earnings. Includes a national map showing nonmetro counties primarily dependent on farming, mining, manufacturing, recreation, and federal-state government. May be useful to those considering health-related policies or undertaking research projects where the type of industry that is predominant is relevant.
Author(s): Timothy Parker
Citation: Amber Waves
Date: 12/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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