Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural definitions
Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Designated Rural Health Areas in Oklahoma, 2021
County-level map of rural health areas in Oklahoma as designated by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP).
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: Oklahoma State University Center for Rural Health
view details
County-level map of rural health areas in Oklahoma as designated by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP).
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: Oklahoma State University Center for Rural Health
view details
Wisconsin Rural Areas - Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
County-level map showing rural areas in Wisconsin as designated by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Includes a list of counties and census tracts considered rural.
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: Wisconsin Office of Rural Health
view details
County-level map showing rural areas in Wisconsin as designated by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Includes a list of counties and census tracts considered rural.
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: Wisconsin Office of Rural Health
view details
Comments on Proposed Criteria for Defining Urban Areas
Comment letter responding to the U.S. Census Bureau on proposed changes to criteria used to define urban areas. Discusses how the proposed changes could impact the delivery of healthcare services in rural communities, including potential implications on the certification of Rural Health Clinics.
Date: 05/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
view details
Comment letter responding to the U.S. Census Bureau on proposed changes to criteria used to define urban areas. Discusses how the proposed changes could impact the delivery of healthcare services in rural communities, including potential implications on the certification of Rural Health Clinics.
Date: 05/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
view details
Indicators of Rurality: How Should We Define "Rural" and "Urban" Communities?
Provides an overview of six federal datasets and how each is used to classify urban and rural communities. Offers recommendations for how to use each indicator of rurality.
Date: 05/2021
Sponsoring organization: Institute for People Place and Possibility
view details
Provides an overview of six federal datasets and how each is used to classify urban and rural communities. Offers recommendations for how to use each indicator of rurality.
Date: 05/2021
Sponsoring organization: Institute for People Place and Possibility
view details
Comment on Recommendations from the Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Standards Review Committee to Changes in Metropolitan and Micropolitan Area Standards
Offers comments in response to the Office of Management and Budget's proposed changes to the metropolitan and micropolitan statistical area standards. Discusses potential unintended consequences of the proposed changes and the broader implications of the definition of metropolitan on research and policy development.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
view details
Offers comments in response to the Office of Management and Budget's proposed changes to the metropolitan and micropolitan statistical area standards. Discusses potential unintended consequences of the proposed changes and the broader implications of the definition of metropolitan on research and policy development.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
view details
Redefining Rural: Towards a Better Understanding of Geography, Demography, and Economy in America's Rural Places
Offers a hybrid definition of rurality based on metro and non-metro definitions from the Office of Management and Budget, Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, and considers outlying communities in metro and micropolitan counties as rural. Compares rural and non-rural poverty rates, economic well-being, population changes, and other characteristics to represent counties in economic distress.
Author(s): Kennedy O'Dell
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Economic Innovation Group
view details
Offers a hybrid definition of rurality based on metro and non-metro definitions from the Office of Management and Budget, Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, and considers outlying communities in metro and micropolitan counties as rural. Compares rural and non-rural poverty rates, economic well-being, population changes, and other characteristics to represent counties in economic distress.
Author(s): Kennedy O'Dell
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Economic Innovation Group
view details
Determining Rural Communities: Current Changes and Updated Federal Program Eligibility
Presentation slides from a March 11, 2021, webinar discussing the various definitions of rural used by the federal government. Provides an overview of revisions to the eligibility for grant programs administered by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), as well as a proposal from the U.S. Census Bureau to reclassify certain counties as rural. Describes implications for FORHP funding programs.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
view details
Presentation slides from a March 11, 2021, webinar discussing the various definitions of rural used by the federal government. Provides an overview of revisions to the eligibility for grant programs administered by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), as well as a proposal from the U.S. Census Bureau to reclassify certain counties as rural. Describes implications for FORHP funding programs.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
view details
County Reclassifications and Rural–Urban Mortality Disparities in the United States (1970–2018)
Examines urban and rural mortality disparities since 1970, comparing baseline changes to mortality rates by decade of reclassificiation of rural and urban counties based on CDC WONDER data. Describes the impact of reclassification on disparities and the importance of rural and urban classification in policy interventions.
Author(s): Matthew M. Brooks, J. Tom Mueller, Brian C. Thiede
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 110(12): 1814-1816
Date: 12/2020
view details
Examines urban and rural mortality disparities since 1970, comparing baseline changes to mortality rates by decade of reclassificiation of rural and urban counties based on CDC WONDER data. Describes the impact of reclassification on disparities and the importance of rural and urban classification in policy interventions.
Author(s): Matthew M. Brooks, J. Tom Mueller, Brian C. Thiede
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 110(12): 1814-1816
Date: 12/2020
view details
Understanding and Using American Community Survey Data: What Users of Data for Rural Areas Need to Know
An overview of what data users need to know about working with American Community Survey (ACS) data for rural areas. Addresses how rural is defined, the use of 5-year estimates, strategies to produce reliable estimates for rural communities, where to access rural ACS estimates, and case studies of rural data use.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
view details
An overview of what data users need to know about working with American Community Survey (ACS) data for rural areas. Addresses how rural is defined, the use of 5-year estimates, strategies to produce reliable estimates for rural communities, where to access rural ACS estimates, and case studies of rural data use.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
view details
Is Rural America Failing or Succeeding? Maybe Both
Policy brief examining Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reclassification of rural counties as metropolitan due to population growth. Provides visual data on counties that transitioned from nonmetropolitan to metropolitan since 1970, including a U.S. map representing reclassified counties. Discusses the implications of reclassification for economic policy and interpretations of rural demographics.
Author(s): Kenneth M. Johnson and Daniel T. Lichter
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
view details
Policy brief examining Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reclassification of rural counties as metropolitan due to population growth. Provides visual data on counties that transitioned from nonmetropolitan to metropolitan since 1970, including a U.S. map representing reclassified counties. Discusses the implications of reclassification for economic policy and interpretations of rural demographics.
Author(s): Kenneth M. Johnson and Daniel T. Lichter
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
view details