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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Use of Electronic Health Records to Manage Tobacco Screening and Treatment in Rural Primary Care
Study examining the benefits of using electronic health records (EHR) in addressing tobacco dependence by primary care providers, comparing rural and urban data from the 2012-2015 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Discusses the utility of EHR and barriers to EHR adoption in rural practices, and offers data tables covering patient characteristics and statistics related to primary care visits and smoking cessation.
Author(s): Jean A. Talbot, Erika C. Ziller, Carly M. Milkowski
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
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Medicare Covers a Lower Percentage of Outpatient Costs in Hospitals Located in Rural Areas
Policy brief describing differences in Medicare Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) payments between urban and rural hospitals. Features statistics on OPPS payments as a percent of total net patient revenue, as a percent of Medicare outpatient cost by hospital payment classification, and as a percent of Medicare outpatient cost by number of acute beds, with breakdowns by urban and rural location.
Author(s): Pranathi Sana, George H. Pink
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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National, Regional, State, and Selected Local Area Vaccination Coverage Among Adolescents Aged 13–17 Years — United States, 2020
Reports on vaccination coverage among U.S. adolescents ages 13 through 17. Includes data on vaccination coverage by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan residence and poverty status. Includes nonmetro data related to the following vaccines: Tdap (tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis), MenACWY (quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate), HPV (human papillomavirus), MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and varicella.
Author(s): Cassandra Pingali, David Yankey, Laurie D. Elam-Evans, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 70(35), 1183-1190
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Higher Electronic Health Record (EHR) Functionality Lowers Urban Hospital Costs but Rural Impacts Are Minimal
Examines the relationship between electronic health record (EHR) functionality and hospital costs. Compares the effect of increasing EHR functionality in urban and rural hospitals and by inpatient and outpatient service categories.
Author(s): Claudia Alejandra Rhoades, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
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Overview of Barriers and Facilitators in COVID-19 Vaccine Outreach
Provides an overview of lessons learned from infectious disease outbreaks about barriers to vaccine uptake. Describes examples of promising and innovative COVID-19 vaccination outreach strategies, including strategies to build vaccine confidence in rural communities. Identifies best practices that could be used to inform outreach in areas with low vaccination rates. Highlights online tools and resources to assist with the design of vaccine outreach programs.
Author(s): Aldren Gonzales, Euny C. Lee, Violanda Grigorescu, et al.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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School Nurses in Texas K-12 Public & Charter Schools
Fact sheet describing the school nurse workforce in Texas. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas and basic demographics, education levels, and school grade group distributions.
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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Relationship Between Population Density and Scope of Practice for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists in Arizona
Study surveyed 230 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) in Arizona to compare scope of practice and population density as well as scope of practice and job satisfaction. Discusses regulations and barriers in scope of practice for CRNAs and other healthcare professionals nationally in the context of recruitment and retention.
Author(s): Michael A. MacKinnon
Citation: AANA Journal, 89(4), 325-333
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
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Secondhand Smoke Exposure at Home and/ or in a Vehicle: Differences Between Urban and Non-Urban Adolescents in the United States, From 2015 to 2018
Explores geographic disparities in secondhand smoke exposure for urban and non-urban youth. Analyzes 69,249 middle and high school students from the 2015-2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey and breaks down the sample by sex, grade level, race/ethnicity, type of tobacco, status related to living with a tobacco user, year studied, and urban versus non-urban location.
Author(s): Dale S. Mantey, Onyinye Omega-Njemnobi, Cristina S. Barroso
Citation: Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 23(8), 1327-1333
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
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The Growing Rural-Urban Divide in US Life Expectancy: Contribution of Cardiovascular Disease and Other Major Causes of Death
Study examining rural and urban life expectancy between 1999 and 2019 based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) detailed mortality files. Offers data by gender and age on changes in life expectancy, including cause-of-death breakdowns.
Author(s): Leah R. Abrams, Mikko Myrskyla, Neil K. Mehta
Citation: International Journal of Epidemiology, 50(6), 1970-1978
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
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Some Digital Divides Persist Between Rural, Urban, and Suburban America
Highlights differences in broadband access and digital technology adoption, such as smart phone, tablet, or computer, between rural, urban and suburban residents of the U.S.
Author(s): Emily Vogels
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Pew Research Center
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