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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Temporal Changes in Treatment Patterns for Rural and Urban Patients With Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Examines treatment modalities in rural and urban populations in North Carolina for patients who have Stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Identifies the treatment patterns of 5,504 patients such as surgery, radiation, or no treatment. Provides patient demographics broken down by age, sex, race, insurance, comorbidity index, history of lung disease, and urban, suburban, or rural location.
Author(s): Joshua Herb, Tzy-Mey Kuo, Vaibhav Kumar, et al.
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 83(4), 294-303
Date: 07/2022
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Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Beliefs and Practice Characteristics in Rural and Urban Adolescent Care Providers
Study examining human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine resources, practices, and attitudes in rural and urban populations based on data from 437 survey respondents in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Discusses rural disparities in HPV vaccine coverage and noted differences in evening and weekend appointment availability, experience with adolescent vaccine quality improvement projects, and adolescent vaccination orders.
Author(s): Cody L. Goessl, Ben Christianson, Kayla E. Hanson, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 22, 1322
Date: 07/2022
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Report to Congress: Unified Payment for Medicare-Covered Post-Acute Care
Presents a prototype for a Unified Post-acute Care (PAC) prospective payment system (PPS) that would set payment for PAC services on the basis of the clinical characteristics of the patient rather than the type of provider. Details the structure of the prototype and the data used in the analyses to design and calibrate the PPS. Explores key considerations for unifying PAC payment, such as cost-sharing and value-based payment. Includes data on PAC provider characteristics, including facility size and rural status, as well as rural payment adjustments.
Additional links: Appendices
Author(s): Benjamin Silver, Anne Deutsch, Nicole Coomer, et al.
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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QuickStats: Age-Adjusted Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years Who Met the 2018 Federal Physical Activity Guidelines for Both Muscle-Strengthening and Aerobic Physical Activity, by Urbanization Level — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2020
Bar chart showing the percentage of adults meeting physical activity guidelines overall and by urbanization level for large central metro, large fringe metro, medium and small metro, and nonmetropolitan areas.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(27), 887
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Availability of Medical Doctors Favors Metropolitan Areas with Low Rates of Self-Employment
Line chart tracking the number of Medical Doctors (MDs) per 10,000 residents between 1960 and 2017, comparing metro and nonmetro areas of high self-employment and low self-employment. Uses data from the HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce, 2018-19 Area Health Resources File and American Community Survey 2018 5-year data.
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Nursing Homes in Rural America: A Chartbook
Explores county-level nursing home availability and evaluates the supply of nursing home beds per 1,000 population aged 65 and older. Identifies nursing home availability for counties with and without hospitals with swing beds, and describes the resident and nursing home characteristics including occupancy levels, payer mix, demographics, and healthcare needs. Features statistics with breakdowns by noncore, micropolitan, and metropolitan counties.
Author(s): Hari Sharma, Lili Xu, Fred Ullrich, Clint MacKinney, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Self-Employed Workers Are Less Likely To Have Health Insurance Than Those Employed by Private Firms, Governments
Examines nonmetropolitan health insurance coverage in 2018 among working age adults (26-64 years old) who are self-employed, otherwise employed, unemployed, and those not in the labor force. Includes a bar chart showing metro compared to nonmetro coverage by employment status for the following types of health insurance: none, employer-based, direct-purchase, and public.
Author(s): Elizabeth A. Dobis, Jessica E. Todd
Citation: Amber Waves
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Obesity Treatment Initiation, Retention, and Outcomes in the Veterans Affairs MOVE! Program among Rural and Urban Veterans
Compares rural, highly rural, and urban veterans' likelihood of initiating participation in the Veterans Affairs weight management program (VA MOVE!) or of receiving anti-obesity medication or bariatric surgery. Utilizes 2015-2017 Veterans Affairs patient data. Includes data on treatment retention and weight loss.
Author(s): Kathleen M. Robinson, Mark Vander Weg, Helena H. Laroche, et al.
Citation: Obesity Science & Practice, 8(6), 784-793
Date: 06/2022
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Maryland Community Health Worker and Employer Surveys: Analysis and Report, With a Focus on Rural Maryland
Examines the Maryland landscape of community health workers (CHWs) and the organizations that employ them; identifies barriers and facilitators to incorporating the CHW skillset into patient-centered healthcare models; and determines the impact of CHWs on access to healthcare and use of preventive health services by the people they serve. Features statistics including demographics, services provided, funding sources, and type of employer, with breakdowns by urban or rural area.
Author(s): Brian Robertson, John Charles, Allison Tippery, et al.
Date: 06/2022
Sponsoring organization: Maryland State Office of Rural Health
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Healthy Iowans: Iowa's State Health Assessment
Provides an overview of population health in Iowa with a focus on health outcomes and related social, economic, and environmental factors. Outlines Iowa's overall health profile and priority areas in public health. Includes county-level data on life expectancy, primary care and dentist workforce supply, and transportation; census tract data comparing rural and urban food access; and discussions geared toward rural-specific health issues.
Date: 06/2022
Sponsoring organization: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
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