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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Employment and unemployment

Health Care Access Among Self-Employed Workers in Nonmetropolitan Counties
Webinar recording highlighting a May 2022 report that examines access to healthcare for self-employed workers, their families, and their households in rural areas. Utilizes 2014-2020 data to discuss health insurance coverage and affordability, availability of healthcare services, and changes in work, income, health status, and healthcare access.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Elizabeth A. Dobis, Jessica E. Todd
Date: 10/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
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The State of the Rural Economy in Indiana
Provides an overview of the rural economy in Indiana and includes data on issues such as population, employment and income, education, housing, agriculture, transportation, broadband, immigration, quality of life, and more. Provides county-level economic and demographic data as well as rural versus urban comparisons. Features information on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author(s): Srikant Devaraj, Dagney Faulk, Michael Hicks, et al.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Ball State University, Center for Business and Economic Research
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Integrating Employment Services with Substance Use Treatment and Recovery: The Experiences of Five Programs
Reports on the experiences of 5 treatment and recovery programs that integrated employment services into their program structure. Presents key findings that highlight program differences, organizational partnerships, and necessary accommodations for people in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD). Includes case study of a community recovery program situated in rural Virginia.
Author(s): Hannah Betesh, Deena Schwartz, Shelley Rappaport, Karin Martinson
Date: 08/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Children and Families, Building Evidence on Employment Strategies
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Self-Employed Workers Were Covered More Widely Across Health Insurance Sources, but Many Remained Uninsured
Bar chart comparing health insurance coverage type in 2018 for adults 26-64 who are self-employed and those employed by private firms or government. Includes metropolitan and nonmetro data for those covered by employer-based insurance, direct-purchase insurance, public insurance, and those without health insurance.
Date: 08/2022
Type: Chart/Graph
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Lack of Health Insurance Coverage Among Employed Individuals Increased As the COVID-19 Pandemic Intensified
Line chart showing the percent of workers who lacked health insurance from April 23, 2020 through December 21, 2020, with data for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan self-employed individuals and those otherwise employed.
Date: 07/2022
Type: Chart/Graph
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Counties With High Levels of Self-Employed Workers Dominate the Great Plains and Upper Mountain West
Map showing metro and nonmetro counties with a proportion of self-employed workers in the top 25% for 2014-2018.
Date: 07/2022
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Availability of Medical Doctors Favors Metropolitan Areas with Low Rates of Self-Employment
Line chart tracking the number of Medical Doctors (MDs) per 10,000 residents between 1960 and 2017, comparing metro and nonmetro areas of high self-employment and low self-employment. Uses data from the HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce, 2018-19 Area Health Resources File and American Community Survey 2018 5-year data.
Date: 07/2022
Type: Chart/Graph
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Self-Employed Workers Are Less Likely To Have Health Insurance Than Those Employed by Private Firms, Governments
Examines nonmetropolitan health insurance coverage in 2018 among working age adults (26-64 years old) who are self-employed, otherwise employed, unemployed, and those not in the labor force. Includes a bar chart showing metro compared to nonmetro coverage by employment status for the following types of health insurance: none, employer-based, direct-purchase, and public.
Author(s): Elizabeth A. Dobis, Jessica E. Todd
Citation: Amber Waves
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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The Economic Effects of Rural Hospital Closures
Examines the impact of a rural hospital closure on local economic outcomes. Compares economic changes in nonmetro counties experiencing a hospital closure between 2001 and 2018 to changes in a control group of nonmetro counties. Presents data on the effects of rural hospital closures on annual income, population size, unemployment, and labor force size overall and by closure type and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) and Prospective Payment System (PPS) status.
Author(s): Tyler L. Malone, Arrianna Marie Planey, Laura B. Bozovich, Kristie W. Thompson, George M. Holmes
Citation: Health Services Research, 57(3), 614-623
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
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Farmer's Mental Well-Being Project: Statewide Survey Report
Surveyed 1651 farmers, farm spouses, and farmworkers in 2022 to identify stressors as perceived by farmers in Georgia. Discusses suicide, age, stress, insurance status, job satisfaction, agribusiness, COVID-19, healthcare access, coping mechanisms, and more.
Author(s): Stephanie Basey, Anne Montgomery, Ben West, Chris Scoggins, Lily Baucom
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Georgia Foundation for Agriculture, Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center, Mercer University School of Medicine
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