Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System, June 2024
Evaluates Medicare payment issues and provides recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Covers approaches for updating fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare's physician fee schedule (PFS) payments and incentivizing participation in alternative payment models; provider networks and prior authorization in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans; an assessment of the relative completeness of MA encounter data and other data sources; Medicare coverage and payments for medical software; alternate approaches to lower Medicare payment rates for select conditions in inpatient rehabilitation facilities; and Medicare's Acute Hospital Care at Home program. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Evaluates Medicare payment issues and provides recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Covers approaches for updating fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare's physician fee schedule (PFS) payments and incentivizing participation in alternative payment models; provider networks and prior authorization in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans; an assessment of the relative completeness of MA encounter data and other data sources; Medicare coverage and payments for medical software; alternate approaches to lower Medicare payment rates for select conditions in inpatient rehabilitation facilities; and Medicare's Acute Hospital Care at Home program. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Prime Working Age Natural-Cause Mortality Increases with Rurality, Especially for Females
Bar chart comparing change in natural cause mortality from 1999-2001 to 2017-2019 among working age women and men, with data broken down by county level of rurality.
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Bar chart comparing change in natural cause mortality from 1999-2001 to 2017-2019 among working age women and men, with data broken down by county level of rurality.
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Rural Health Disparities in Skin Cancer Amplified Among Skin of Color
Analyzes how geography and the social determinants of health impact skin cancer disparities. Analyzes skin cancer history in rural versus urban populations, with data further broken down by demographics, health plan, healthcare provider access, and income.
Author(s): Rachel R. Lin, Juwon Lee, Andrea D. Maderal, Scott A. Elman
Citation: Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 23(6), 480-484
Date: 06/2024
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Analyzes how geography and the social determinants of health impact skin cancer disparities. Analyzes skin cancer history in rural versus urban populations, with data further broken down by demographics, health plan, healthcare provider access, and income.
Author(s): Rachel R. Lin, Juwon Lee, Andrea D. Maderal, Scott A. Elman
Citation: Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 23(6), 480-484
Date: 06/2024
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Rural Resurgence: Recent Population Growth in Rural N.C.
Analyzes population trends in rural North Carolina from 2010-2023, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, suburban, and rural counties, and county-level maps with shadings showing percentages of population increase or decrease.
Author(s): Dalton Bailey
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: NC Rural Center
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Analyzes population trends in rural North Carolina from 2010-2023, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, suburban, and rural counties, and county-level maps with shadings showing percentages of population increase or decrease.
Author(s): Dalton Bailey
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: NC Rural Center
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Veterans Health Care: Opportunities Exist to Improve Assessment of Network Adequacy for Mental Health
Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Care Networks (CCN) program and how the VA and contractors develop and maintain mental health provider networks. Describes how the VA assesses the adequacy of the CCN mental health provider networks. Examines the extent to which the VA collects information on the factors that contribute to scheduling timeliness challenges for community care appointments, including for mental health appointments. Presents data on the percentage of CCN mental health claims that were within drive-time and appointment-availability standards between April 2022 and March 2023 by CCN region, rurality, and care setting.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Care Networks (CCN) program and how the VA and contractors develop and maintain mental health provider networks. Describes how the VA assesses the adequacy of the CCN mental health provider networks. Examines the extent to which the VA collects information on the factors that contribute to scheduling timeliness challenges for community care appointments, including for mental health appointments. Presents data on the percentage of CCN mental health claims that were within drive-time and appointment-availability standards between April 2022 and March 2023 by CCN region, rurality, and care setting.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Rural and Urban Differences in Disparities in Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sexual Minority Populations
Examines substance use, substance use disorders (SUD), and SUD treatment in heterosexual and sexual minority populations. Analyzes 2015 to 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data with information broken down by demographics, substance use, and large metro, small metro, or nonmetro location.
Author(s): Christina Dyar, Ethan Morgan
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(3), 542-556
Date: 06/2024
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Examines substance use, substance use disorders (SUD), and SUD treatment in heterosexual and sexual minority populations. Analyzes 2015 to 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data with information broken down by demographics, substance use, and large metro, small metro, or nonmetro location.
Author(s): Christina Dyar, Ethan Morgan
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(3), 542-556
Date: 06/2024
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Trends in Patient Perceptions of Care Toward Rural and Urban Hospitals in the United States: 2014-2019
Examines patients' perceptions of care in hospitals located in urban, rural non-frontier and remote (FAR), and FAR areas. Analyzes 2014-2019 data from 6,964 hospitals to rate patients' perceptions of their quality of care, considering factors such as quietness and cleanliness of hospital, communication with healthcare staff, discharge information, care transition, and willingness to recommend hospital.
Author(s): Zhong Li, Vivian Ho, Melinda A. Merrell, Peiyin Hung
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(3), 565-573
Date: 06/2024
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Examines patients' perceptions of care in hospitals located in urban, rural non-frontier and remote (FAR), and FAR areas. Analyzes 2014-2019 data from 6,964 hospitals to rate patients' perceptions of their quality of care, considering factors such as quietness and cleanliness of hospital, communication with healthcare staff, discharge information, care transition, and willingness to recommend hospital.
Author(s): Zhong Li, Vivian Ho, Melinda A. Merrell, Peiyin Hung
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(3), 565-573
Date: 06/2024
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Understanding Rural-Urban Differences in Veterans' Internet Access, Use and Patient Preferences for Telemedicine
Analyzes disparities among rural and urban veterans regarding telemedicine. Utilizes March 2022 survey data from 350 veterans about issues related to telemedicine use, including Internet access, connection speeds, Internet-connected devices, and use and perception of telemedicine.
Author(s): Amy M.J. O'Shea, Mikayla Gibson, James Merchant, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(3), 438-445
Date: 06/2024
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Analyzes disparities among rural and urban veterans regarding telemedicine. Utilizes March 2022 survey data from 350 veterans about issues related to telemedicine use, including Internet access, connection speeds, Internet-connected devices, and use and perception of telemedicine.
Author(s): Amy M.J. O'Shea, Mikayla Gibson, James Merchant, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(3), 438-445
Date: 06/2024
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Comparison of the Characteristics of the Population Eligible for Lung Cancer Screening under 2013 and Population Newly Eligible under 2021 US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations
Compares eligibility for lung cancer screening under 2013 and 2021 recommendations issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Analyzes effects on population groups, utilizing 2017-2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. See Table 3 for data on rural and urban populations.
Author(s): Nicholas Yell, Jan M. Eberth, Anthony J. Alberg, et al.
Citation: Cancer Causes & Control, 35, 1233-1243
Date: 05/2024
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Compares eligibility for lung cancer screening under 2013 and 2021 recommendations issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Analyzes effects on population groups, utilizing 2017-2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. See Table 3 for data on rural and urban populations.
Author(s): Nicholas Yell, Jan M. Eberth, Anthony J. Alberg, et al.
Citation: Cancer Causes & Control, 35, 1233-1243
Date: 05/2024
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Nursing Home Closures Did Not Increase in 2020 and 2021, Despite Financial Challenges Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic
Provides an overview of the financial challenges and closures experienced by nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes 2011-2021 data from 16,361 nursing homes, with breakdowns according to number of closures, staff shortages, COVID-19 infections, vaccination rates, closures by state and rural versus urban location, and more.
Author(s): Micah Segelman, Kristie A. Porter, Kelly Hughes, et al.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Provides an overview of the financial challenges and closures experienced by nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes 2011-2021 data from 16,361 nursing homes, with breakdowns according to number of closures, staff shortages, COVID-19 infections, vaccination rates, closures by state and rural versus urban location, and more.
Author(s): Micah Segelman, Kristie A. Porter, Kelly Hughes, et al.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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