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Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Healthcare Spending among Diverse Populations with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias: A Claims-Based Analysis
Examines healthcare spending and utilization among commercially insured Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) patients. Explores the impact of sociodemographic factors and urban/rural status on annual spending among ADRD patients by analyzing data from the FAIR Health National Private Insurance Claims between January 2016 and December 2023, along with demographic and socioeconomic data from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. Includes data on the probability of ADRD patients using different care venues and the average and expected amounts allowed within each venue based on patient characteristics.
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: FAIR Health
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Distance as an Obstacle to Clinical Trial Access: Who Is Affected and Why It Matters
Evaluates factors associated with geographic remoteness of 60 miles or more from the nearest phase 2 or 3 clinical trial for a variety of health conditions. Discusses American Indian reservations and rural areas, and provides data on demographic factors associated with remoteness including race and ethnicity, educational attainment, and poverty. Includes a county-level interactive map of clinical trial remoteness for health conditions including cancers, substance use disorder, diabetes, obesity, COPD, stroke, and more. Requires the creation of a free account to view.
Author(s): Andrew Friedson, Bumyang Kim, Maggie Switek, Lawson Mansell
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: The Milken Institute
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Assessing How Alcohol Use Patterns Relate to Obesity among American Adolescents from Rural and Urban Areas: Five Years of Pooled Data
Analyzes the association between alcohol use and obesity among rural and urban adolescents aged 12-17. Utilizes 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data.
Author(s): Christian E. Vazquez, Fawn A. Brown, Faheem Ohri, Philip Baiden
Citation: PLoS ONE, 19(6), e0305638
Date: 06/2024
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Healthcare in Illinois: A County-Level Index of 'Readiness for AI' in Healthcare
Provides background on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare and its potential usefulness in Illinois. Includes metro versus nonmetro data on hospital medical device spending as well as counties with low/high AI readiness.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Engagement Among Diverse Patient Backgrounds in a Remote Symptom Monitoring Program
Analyzes factors affecting engagement in a remote symptom monitoring (RSM) program among 1,998 patients who received treatment at Alabama cancer centers between May 2021 and May 2023. Includes data on likelihood of being approached for involvement in RSM and rates of program enrollment, adherence, and withdrawal. Factors considered include race (Black, White, or other), rural versus urban residence, and neighborhood disadvantage.
Author(s): Gabrielle B. Rocque, Nicole E. Caston, Keyonsis Hildreth, et al.
Citation: JCO Oncology Practice
Date: 06/2024
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Congruence Between County Dental Health Provider Shortage Area Designations and the Social Vulnerability Index
Provides visual comparisons of the relationship between Dental Health Provider Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2020 Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) designations on county-level U.S. maps. Includes table showing median county-level SVI score by HPSA designation, broken down by metro, nonmetro, and all county.
Author(s): Gabriel A. Benavidez, Elizabeth Crouch, Joni Nelson, Amy Martin
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 21
Date: 06/2024
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Nurse Staffing Estimates in US Nursing Homes, May 2024
Provides an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) April 2024 final rule that established minimum nurse staffing requirements for nursing homes. Analyzes May 2024 data from Nursing Home Care Compare to examine current staffing levels in U.S. nursing homes relative to specific minimum staffing requirements in the final rule. Includes an illustrative example of a 100-bed facility to explore how many nurse staff would need to be added per shift during the final rule's implementation phase to meet or exceed the final rule's minimum requirements. Presents data by facility characteristics, including ownership type, rural or urban location, and bed size.
Author(s): Martin Blanco, Iara Oliveira, Marie Squillace, Damian Da Costa
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Evaluation of the Vermont All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model: 2018-2022 - Fourth Evaluation Report
Evaluates the first five performance years of the Vermont All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model (VTAPM), which aims to assess whether scaling an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) across all payers in the state can reduce program expenditures while preserving or improving care quality. Discusses the implementation of the model, provider engagement, efforts to address population health goals; characteristics of participating hospitals, practitioners, and beneficiaries; and the model's impacts on Medicare spending, utilization, and quality of care. Includes analyses of Medicare ACO subgroups and Medicaid spending, utilization, and quality of care trends. Outlines challenges and lessons learned.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance, Technical Appendices
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Population Estimates — United States, 2022
Describes the U.S. adult populations who need opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment, receive any OUD treatment, and receive medication for OUD. Includes data for metropolitan compared to micropolitan and noncore locations.
Author(s): Deborah Dowell, Samantha Brown, Shiromani Gyawali, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 73(25), 567-574
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Oral Cancer Incidence in Illinois, 1996 – 2020
Provides 2016-2020 data in Illinois for oral and pharyngeal cancer incidence rates by sex, race/ethnicity, age, site, and rurality. Includes state maps showing counties with lower or higher than average oral cancer rates.
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Department of Public Health
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