Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
America's Health Rankings Annual Report 2023
Provides a national and state-by-state overview of population health by analyzing 49 measures to describe and rank health outcomes in the U.S. and 38 additional measures used to track current and emerging health issues at state and national levels. Analyzes and presents data on disparities by geography and demographic characteristics throughout, including data on American Indian/Alaska Native populations and metropolitan status.
Additional links: Executive Brief
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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Provides a national and state-by-state overview of population health by analyzing 49 measures to describe and rank health outcomes in the U.S. and 38 additional measures used to track current and emerging health issues at state and national levels. Analyzes and presents data on disparities by geography and demographic characteristics throughout, including data on American Indian/Alaska Native populations and metropolitan status.
Additional links: Executive Brief
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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The Need for Better Definitions and Data on "Rural" in Health Services Research
Blog post discussing the various definitions of rural used by the federal government. Describes how the different definitions of rural can complicate understanding health disparities between and within rural areas. Offers policy recommendations for standardizing rural definitions, data collection, and research methodologies to improve population health.
Author(s): Kayla Alvis
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: AcademyHealth
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Blog post discussing the various definitions of rural used by the federal government. Describes how the different definitions of rural can complicate understanding health disparities between and within rural areas. Offers policy recommendations for standardizing rural definitions, data collection, and research methodologies to improve population health.
Author(s): Kayla Alvis
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: AcademyHealth
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Support for Healthy Eating and Active Living in Rural Communities: Insights from a National Survey of Local Governments
Analyzes local government policies that support wellness, healthy eating, and physical activity in metro versus nonmetro areas. Utilizes Community Based Survey of Supports for Healthy Eating and Active Living (CBS HEAL) data to compare government structures, master plans, built environment policies, transit options, supportive food access policies, and more.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Analyzes local government policies that support wellness, healthy eating, and physical activity in metro versus nonmetro areas. Utilizes Community Based Survey of Supports for Healthy Eating and Active Living (CBS HEAL) data to compare government structures, master plans, built environment policies, transit options, supportive food access policies, and more.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Hospitals' Electronic Access to Information Needed to Treat COVID-19
Explores acute care hospitals' ability to access electronic access to information necessary to treat COVID-19 patients in 2021. Examines differences in information availability by hospital characteristics, including rurality and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status, and engagement in interoperable exchange.
Author(s): Chelsea Richwine, Jordan Everson, Vaishali Patel
Citation: JAMIA Open, 6(4)
Date: 12/2023
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Explores acute care hospitals' ability to access electronic access to information necessary to treat COVID-19 patients in 2021. Examines differences in information availability by hospital characteristics, including rurality and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status, and engagement in interoperable exchange.
Author(s): Chelsea Richwine, Jordan Everson, Vaishali Patel
Citation: JAMIA Open, 6(4)
Date: 12/2023
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Geographic Variations in Driving Time to U.S. Mental Health Care, Digital Access to Technology, & Household Crowdedness
Evaluated distance to mental health services, household crowdedness, and access to technology and broadband alongside rurality to determine barriers to mental healthcare for both rural and urban residents in 31,924 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs). Discusses implications for telehealth and policy measures addressing the digital divide.
Author(s): Sophia N.D. Negaro, Rachel M. Hantman, Janice C. Probst, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 1(6)
Date: 12/2023
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Evaluated distance to mental health services, household crowdedness, and access to technology and broadband alongside rurality to determine barriers to mental healthcare for both rural and urban residents in 31,924 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs). Discusses implications for telehealth and policy measures addressing the digital divide.
Author(s): Sophia N.D. Negaro, Rachel M. Hantman, Janice C. Probst, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 1(6)
Date: 12/2023
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Participation in a Medicare Advanced Primary Care Model and the Delivery of High-Value Services
Examines if participation in the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus Initiative (CPC+) impacted the high-value services delivered by primary care providers. Utilizes multiple national data sets to estimate the association of CPC+ and services such as annual wellness visits (AWVs), advance care planning (ACP), flu shots, tobacco prevention counseling, and depression screening. Provides data on intervention groups and comparison groups by patient demographics as well as provider demographics, specialty, and location, including urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural.
Author(s): Fang He, Angela Gasdaska, Lindsay White, Yan Tang, Chris Beadles
Citation: Health Services Research, 58(6), 1266-1291
Date: 12/2023
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Examines if participation in the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus Initiative (CPC+) impacted the high-value services delivered by primary care providers. Utilizes multiple national data sets to estimate the association of CPC+ and services such as annual wellness visits (AWVs), advance care planning (ACP), flu shots, tobacco prevention counseling, and depression screening. Provides data on intervention groups and comparison groups by patient demographics as well as provider demographics, specialty, and location, including urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural.
Author(s): Fang He, Angela Gasdaska, Lindsay White, Yan Tang, Chris Beadles
Citation: Health Services Research, 58(6), 1266-1291
Date: 12/2023
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Veterans With Blood Cancers: Clinical Trial Navigation and the Challenge of Rurality
Presents a study on the geographic barriers to accessing cancer trials faced by rural veterans. Explored the availability of cancer trials based on rurality and highlights clinical trial deserts. Breaks down demographic data by race, sex, cancer type, and rurality, among other measures.
Author(s): Daphne R. Friedman, Thomas D. Rodgers, Courtney Kovalick, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(1), 114-120
Date: 12/2023
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Presents a study on the geographic barriers to accessing cancer trials faced by rural veterans. Explored the availability of cancer trials based on rurality and highlights clinical trial deserts. Breaks down demographic data by race, sex, cancer type, and rurality, among other measures.
Author(s): Daphne R. Friedman, Thomas D. Rodgers, Courtney Kovalick, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(1), 114-120
Date: 12/2023
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Defining the Clinical and Procedural Opportunities Available to Residents During Rural Rotations
Results of a study to determine the rate at which emergency medicine residents at a large academic hospital in Minnesota were exposed to certain clinical and procedural experiences (CPEs) while on rural rotations, compared with their usual academic training hospital. Features patient demographics and statistics on CPEs with breakdowns by rural emergency department (ED) patients and academic ED patients.
Author(s): Brandon Haefke, Daniel Scholz, James Homme, Derick Jones
Citation: Academic Emergency Medicine Education and Training, 7(6), e10922
Date: 11/2023
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Results of a study to determine the rate at which emergency medicine residents at a large academic hospital in Minnesota were exposed to certain clinical and procedural experiences (CPEs) while on rural rotations, compared with their usual academic training hospital. Features patient demographics and statistics on CPEs with breakdowns by rural emergency department (ED) patients and academic ED patients.
Author(s): Brandon Haefke, Daniel Scholz, James Homme, Derick Jones
Citation: Academic Emergency Medicine Education and Training, 7(6), e10922
Date: 11/2023
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Temporal Trends in Telehealth Availability in Mental Health Treatment Settings: Differences in Growth by State Rurality, 2015–2020
Analyzes trends in telehealth availability at outpatient mental health treatment facilities by rurality and urbanicity at the state level. Utilizes 2015-2020 National Mental Health Services Survey data to evaluate growth preceding and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author(s): George Pro, Brian Fairman, Jure Baloh, Don Willis, Broome E.E. Montgomery
Citation: Journal of Urban Health, 100(6), 1149-1158
Date: 11/2023
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Analyzes trends in telehealth availability at outpatient mental health treatment facilities by rurality and urbanicity at the state level. Utilizes 2015-2020 National Mental Health Services Survey data to evaluate growth preceding and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author(s): George Pro, Brian Fairman, Jure Baloh, Don Willis, Broome E.E. Montgomery
Citation: Journal of Urban Health, 100(6), 1149-1158
Date: 11/2023
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Follicular DNA Damage and Pesticide Exposure Among Latinx Children in Rural and Urban Communities
Examines DNA double-strand breaks as an aspect of pesticide exposure among 30 Latinx children from rural, farmworker families and 15 children from urban, non-farmworker families in North Carolina, utilizing a minimally-invasive data collection method utilizing hair follicle samples and silicon wristbands. Provides data on rural-urban disparities in pesticide exposure, outside play, and use of sun protection among study participants, with additional data on seasonal variation.
Author(s): Cassandra Lepetit, Mohamed Gaber, Ke Zhou, et al.
Citation: Exposure and Health, 16, 1039-1052
Date: 11/2023
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Examines DNA double-strand breaks as an aspect of pesticide exposure among 30 Latinx children from rural, farmworker families and 15 children from urban, non-farmworker families in North Carolina, utilizing a minimally-invasive data collection method utilizing hair follicle samples and silicon wristbands. Provides data on rural-urban disparities in pesticide exposure, outside play, and use of sun protection among study participants, with additional data on seasonal variation.
Author(s): Cassandra Lepetit, Mohamed Gaber, Ke Zhou, et al.
Citation: Exposure and Health, 16, 1039-1052
Date: 11/2023
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