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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Characteristics of Patients Hospitalized in Rural and Urban ICUs From 2010 to 2019
Examines the characteristics of fee-for-service Medicare patients who received intensive care in rural. Compares patient characteristics to those who received intensive care in urban hospitals, and the change in patient characteristics between 2010 and 2019. Presents data by patient age, sex, race and ethnicity, mean area deprivation index rank, primary diagnosis, and more.
Author(s): Emily A. Harlan, Muhammad Ghous, Ira S. Moscovice, Thomas S. Valley
Citation: Critical Care Medicine, 52(10), 1577-1586
Date: 10/2024
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Influenza and COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage Among Health Care Personnel — National Healthcare Safety Network, United States, 2023–24 Respiratory Virus Season
Reports on influenza and COVID-19 vaccination coverage among healthcare personnel working in acute care hospitals and nursing homes during the 2023-2024 respiratory virus season. Includes data by workplace location for rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Jeneita Bell, Lu Meng, Kira Barbre, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 73(43), 966-972
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Changing Dynamics in the Opioid Crisis Since the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines trends in the opioid crisis during the 2019-2022 COVID-19 pandemic period. Includes data on drug types and overdose deaths by age, race/ethnicity, state, and urbanization of large metro, small/medium metro, or non-metro location.
Author(s): Colin Planalp, Andrea Stewart
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: State Health Access Data Assistance Center
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Recovery From COVID-19–Related Disruptions in Cancer Detection
Examines changes in cancer screening and diagnosis during the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing 2000-2021 SEER Program data. Identifies trends in overall cancer incidence and diagnosis, and provides data on clinical and demographic disparities in diagnosis, including breakdowns by level of rurality. Discusses the significance of pandemic-influenced missed cancer diagnoses for underserved patients.
Author(s): Uriel Kim, Johnie Rose, Bryan T. Carroll, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(10), e2439263
Date: 10/2024
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Daily Screen Time Among Teenagers: United States, July 2021–December 2023
Discusses the prevalence of screen time among teenagers and the correlation to heath issues such as poor sleep, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Utilizes data from the July 2021-December 2023 National Health Interview Survey–Teen (NHIS–Teen) to examine daily screen time among teenagers aged 12-17 according to screen time amounts, age group, sex, race/ethnicity, household poverty, parental education, mental health, and metro versus nonmetro location.
Author(s): Benjamin Zablotsky, Basilica Arockiaraj, Gelila Haile, Amanda E. Ng
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Differing Needs for Advance Care Planning in the Veterans Health Administration: Use of Latent Class Analysis to Identify Subgroups to Enhance Advance Care Planning via Group Visits for Veterans
Analyzes the Advance Care Planning via Group Visits (ACP-GV) intervention among identifiable subgroups and their potential differing needs. Examines healthcare records of 26,857 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) users regarding their ACP knowledge and planning, with demographic breakdowns according to race/ethnicity, sex, marital status, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Monica M. Matthieu, Songthip T. Ounpraseuth, J. Silas Williams, et al.
Citation: BMC Medical Ethics, 25, 120
Date: 10/2024
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Strengthening Rural Health: The Role of HPV Vaccination
Recording of an October 1, 2024, webinar regarding trends in HPV-related cancers in rural areas and the importance of HPV vaccination to cancer prevention. Features Heather Brandt, Director of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's HPV Cancer Prevention Program. Discusses the hospital's efforts to increase HPV vaccinations in rural communities. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Regional Variation in Deescalated Therapy in Older Adults With Early-Stage Breast Cancer
Results of a study to determine how much geospatial variation in locoregional therapy can be attributed to region or patient characteristics. Features demographics including breakdowns by urban or rural status.
Author(s): Christina A. Minami, Tanujit Dey, Yu-Jen Chen, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(10):e2441152
Date: 10/2024
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The Impact of Primary Care Physician Capacity on Preventable Hospitalizations: Identifying Bright Spots in the Appalachian & Mississippi Delta Regions
Results of a study to determine whether the association of primary care capacity with preventable hospitalizations is different in the Appalachian and Mississippi Delta regions compared with the rest of the U.S. Also explores primary care capacity in counties with lower-than-expected preventable hospitalization rates. Features statistics with breakdowns by rural and nonrural areas.
Author(s): Michael Topmiller, Peter J. Mallow, Hoon Byun, Mark Carrozza, Yalda Jabbarpour
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(3), 66-78
Date: 10/2024
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Recommended Language for Veteran Status Screening Question in Health Centers
Provides best practices for how to identify veteran populations during screening at Health Centers. Includes data on percentage and number of veteran patients for selected states. Slide 3 shows the percentage of patients seen in rural versus urban locations.
Author(s): Gina Capra
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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