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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health conditions

What Cancers Explain the Growing Rural-Urban Gap in Human Papillomavirus-Associated Cancer Incidence?
Presents a study comparing rates of Human-Papillomavirus (HPV) related cancers in rural and urban populations. Breaks down data by sex and rurality and tracks rates in 5 year increments from 2000 to 2019.
Author(s): Jason Semprini, Whitney Zahnd, Heather M. Brandt
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12915
Date: 01/2025
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Social Risks and Nonadherence to Recommended Cancer Screening Among US Adults
Examines social risks associated with nonadherence to US Preventive Services Task Force cancer screening guidelines, utilizing 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data. See Table 2 for demographic data breakdowns on prevalence and risk ratios of screening nonadherence by type of test, including rural-urban dwelling.
Author(s): Ami E. Sedani, Scarlett L. Gomez, Wayne R. Lawrence, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(1), e2449556
Date: 01/2025
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A Comparison of Rural and Urban Differences in Geographic Proximity to Outpatient Stroke Rehabilitation Services in Tennessee
Examines distance and travel time disparities for outpatient stroke rehabilitation (OSR) services in rural and urban areas of Tennessee. Analyzes 185 facilities for OSR and provides rural versus urban median travel distance and time according to OSR service type. Includes county-level maps showing mean travel distance by kilometers.
Author(s): Phoebe M. Tran, Benjamin Fogelson, Robert E. Heidel, Raj Baljepally
Citation: Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention 45(1), 65-71
Date: 01/2025
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Proximity to Cancer Rehabilitation and Exercise Oncology by Geography, Race, and Socioeconomic Status
Examines the proximity to cancer rehabilitation and exercise oncology (CR/EO) programs and the health impacts of access. Utilizes 2020 American Community Survey (ACS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data to analyze 2,133 CR/EO programs, with breakdowns according to CR/EO distance, density, rural versus urban location, race/ethnicity, social deprivation index, U.S. region, and cancer incidence and mortality. Includes U.S. maps showing location of CR/EO programs and areas with or without proximity to programs.
Author(s): Kathryn H. Schmitz, Kathryn Demanelis, Mary E. Crisafio, et al.
Citation: Cancer: An International Interdisciplinary Journal of the American Cancer Society, 131(1)
Date: 01/2025
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Household Food Sourcing Patterns and their Associations with Food Insecurity in Appalachian Ohio
Examines food insecurity and patterns in rural, Appalachian Ohio during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes data from 663 households at 4 separate time periods between July 2020 and April 2021 according to household demographics, food sourcing locations, and more.
Author(s): Kyle R. Busse, Kathryn I. Poppe, Qiang Wu, et al.
Citation: Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 125(1), 54-68.e4
Date: 01/2025
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Epidemiological Model Can Forecast COVID-19 Outbreaks from Wastewater-Based Surveillance in Rural Communities
Examines the ability of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to identify potential outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 in rural communities. Analyzes wastewater in 6 communities and observes WBE's predictive accuracy to forecast SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks.
Author(s): Tyler Meadows, Erik R. Coats, Solana Narum, et al.
Citation: Water Research, 268
Date: 01/2025
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Sexualized Drug Use Factors Among Rural Sexual Minority Men
Presents a study identifying factors that correspond to sexualized drug use, or substance use immediately before or during sex, for rural sexual minority men. Highlights risk factors of sexualized drug use, such as HIV infection, and details corresponding demographic and behavioral characteristics.
Author(s): Christopher Owens, Benjamin N. Montemayor
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12917
Date: 2025
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Drive Time to Care and Retention in HIV Care: Rural–Urban Differences Among Medicaid Enrollees in the United States South
Presents a study on the role geography plays in HIV care retention and maintenance. Draws data from Medicaid enrollees in 13 southern states including the District of Columbia and compares patient drive times to care in rural and urban areas. Breaks down data by county social determinants of health, healthcare supply, and HIV prevalence, as well as patient characteristics.
Author(s): April D. Kimmel, Rose S. Bono, Zhongzhe Pan, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12877
Date: 2025
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Associations Between COVID-19 Therapies and Outcomes in Rural and Urban America: A Multisite, Temporal Analysis from the Alpha to Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variants
Examines COVID-19 treatment, health outcomes, and mortality disparities in rural and urban areas of the United States. Analyzes 2021-2023 National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) data from 3,018,646 patients to break down COVID-19 disparities according to patient demographics, vaccine status, comorbidities, U.S. Census region, and adverse inpatient events, as well as urban, urban-adjacent, or nonurban-adjacent location.
Author(s): A. Jerrod Anzalone, William H. Beasley, Kimberly Murray, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12857
Date: 2025
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Trends in and Factors Associated with Family Physician-Performed Screening Colonoscopies in the United States: 2016-2021
Examines factors and trends related to family physician (FP)-performed colonoscopy screenings. Analyzes 2016-2021 insurance claims data from 2,943,900 qualified colonoscopies, with data breakdowns according to patient demographics, accrued charges, region, and urban-rural classification, including large central metro, large fringe metro, medium metro, small metro, micropolitan, and noncore. Discusses the impact of FP-performed colonoscopy screenings for certain populations, including rural.
Author(s): Nicholas Edwardson, David van der Goes, V. Shane Pankratz, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1)
Date: 2025
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