Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural definitions
Data Gem: Are You in an Urban or Rural Area?
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Video highlighting 3 ways to identify a location as either urban or rural using U.S. Census Bureau tools. Transcript linked underneath the video player.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Rural Health Disparities and Differences in Definitions of Rurality
Examines health disparities and differences in healthcare characteristics between rural and nonrural counties using data from the 2023 County Health Rankings and 2021-2022 Area Health Resources Files. Compares community health and healthcare characteristics by two county-level urban-rural classification systems: Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC) and Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs). Explores the degree to which four county-level classification systems - RUCC, CBSA, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Urban-Rural Classification Scheme for Counties, and Urban Influence Codes (UIC) - agree regarding which counties are designated as rural.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Examines health disparities and differences in healthcare characteristics between rural and nonrural counties using data from the 2023 County Health Rankings and 2021-2022 Area Health Resources Files. Compares community health and healthcare characteristics by two county-level urban-rural classification systems: Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC) and Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs). Explores the degree to which four county-level classification systems - RUCC, CBSA, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Urban-Rural Classification Scheme for Counties, and Urban Influence Codes (UIC) - agree regarding which counties are designated as rural.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Urban Influence Varies Widely Across the Country
Map showing the December 2024 Urban Influence Code status for counties in all 50 states.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Map showing the December 2024 Urban Influence Code status for counties in all 50 states.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Resources for Measuring Rurality in Research on Maternity Care
Explores how different measures of rurality influence research outcomes, with a focus on maternal health research. Describes multiple measures and definitions commonly employed to categorize rural populations. Discusses the implications of these definitions for research, public health interventions, and policy formulation.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Mary-Jane Adole, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Explores how different measures of rurality influence research outcomes, with a focus on maternal health research. Describes multiple measures and definitions commonly employed to categorize rural populations. Discusses the implications of these definitions for research, public health interventions, and policy formulation.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Mary-Jane Adole, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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RHCs, FQHCs, Tribal Clinics and CAHs in Rural Oregon
Shows a county-level map of Oregon identifying the Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), tribal clinics, and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Highlights rural, urban, and frontier areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Oregon Office of Rural Health
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Shows a county-level map of Oregon identifying the Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), tribal clinics, and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Highlights rural, urban, and frontier areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Oregon Office of Rural Health
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Reconceptualizing Rurality: Exploring Community Capital to Identify Distinct Rural Classes in the United States
Analyzes latent classes of rurality within population health settings, identifying 4 rural classes and examining contextual characteristics and degree of social vulnerability for each class.
Author(s): Jennifer L. Cruz, Douglas A. Luke, Rachel M. Ceballos, Shoba Ramanadhan, Karen M. Emmons
Citation: SSM - Population Health, 29, 101729
Date: 12/2024
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Analyzes latent classes of rurality within population health settings, identifying 4 rural classes and examining contextual characteristics and degree of social vulnerability for each class.
Author(s): Jennifer L. Cruz, Douglas A. Luke, Rachel M. Ceballos, Shoba Ramanadhan, Karen M. Emmons
Citation: SSM - Population Health, 29, 101729
Date: 12/2024
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Rural Health Research in the 21st Century: A Commentary on Challenges and the Role of Digital Technology
A commentary that discusses barriers to defining rurality, the complexity of rural culture, and the importance of digital equity in rural communities.
Author(s): Mairead Moloney, Jasmine Rubio, Israel Palencia, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41, e12903
Date: 12/2024
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A commentary that discusses barriers to defining rurality, the complexity of rural culture, and the importance of digital equity in rural communities.
Author(s): Mairead Moloney, Jasmine Rubio, Israel Palencia, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41, e12903
Date: 12/2024
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Pennsylvania Population Projections 2050: Analysis of Future Youth
Fact sheet examining the current and future population trends of youth ages 0-19 in Pennsylvania. Features statistics on historical and projected growth in Pennsylvania youth population by age cohort for rural and urban counties from 1990-2050 and a county-level map showing changes in youth population from 2000-2020
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Fact sheet examining the current and future population trends of youth ages 0-19 in Pennsylvania. Features statistics on historical and projected growth in Pennsylvania youth population by age cohort for rural and urban counties from 1990-2050 and a county-level map showing changes in youth population from 2000-2020
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Changes to Population Distribution and Commuting Patterns Blur the Line Between Rural and Urban
Highlights the change in commuting patterns between rural workers and urban areas and describes the impact on rural communities and economies. Discusses the multiple definitions of rural.
Author(s): Earlene K.P. Dowell
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Highlights the change in commuting patterns between rural workers and urban areas and describes the impact on rural communities and economies. Discusses the multiple definitions of rural.
Author(s): Earlene K.P. Dowell
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Performance of Health Care Service Area Definitions for Capturing Variation in Inpatient Care and Social Determinants of Health
Examines various health care service area (HCSA) definitions and their ability to capture hospitalizations and social determinants of health (SDOH) heterogeneity in the patient population. Provides descriptive characteristics for each HCSA type, such as median population and land size, as well as characteristics of the hospital sample. Discusses which HCSA type was best able to capture hospital discharges and population heterogenity in rural areas.
Author(s): Hannah Crook, Manuel Horta, Kenneth A. Michelson, John A. Graves
Citation: Health Services Research, 59(4)
Date: 08/2024
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Examines various health care service area (HCSA) definitions and their ability to capture hospitalizations and social determinants of health (SDOH) heterogeneity in the patient population. Provides descriptive characteristics for each HCSA type, such as median population and land size, as well as characteristics of the hospital sample. Discusses which HCSA type was best able to capture hospital discharges and population heterogenity in rural areas.
Author(s): Hannah Crook, Manuel Horta, Kenneth A. Michelson, John A. Graves
Citation: Health Services Research, 59(4)
Date: 08/2024
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