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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Review of Rural U.S. Economic and Health Care Trends
Reviews recent literature and publicly available data to explore important issues at the nexus of healthcare and local economic vibrancy, and explores the economic implications associated with COVID-19. Includes sections on rural hospitals, the rural healthcare workforce, emergency medical services, insurance, and telehealth. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density and county-level maps showing Health Professional Shortage Areas and rural counties without obstetrical services.
Author(s): Alison Davis
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
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Rural and Urban Women Have Differing Sexual and Reproductive Health Experiences
Explores the healthcare disparities women aged 15 to 49 experience related to sexual and reproductive health. Analyzes 2015-2019 data from the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) to investigate contraceptive use in 1,128 rural residents and 6,007 urban residents. Includes rural versus urban demographic breakdowns according to race/ethnicity, nativity, income, education, LGB+ identity, and history of/plans for having children.
Author(s): Emma Pliskin, Kate Welti, Jennifer Manlove
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: Child Trends
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Transportation Insecurity in the United States: A Descriptive Portrait
Examines transportation insecurity in the United States in individuals aged 25 and older. Analyzes survey data from 1,999 respondents and includes demographic data such as age, income, car ownership, race/ethnicity, sex, education, presence of children in the household, immigration status, and location by urban, suburban, and rural. Discusses issues related to transportation insecurity such as poorer health outcomes, residential segregation, education inequity, crime, poverty, and more.
Author(s): Alexandra K. Murphy, Karina McDonald-Lopez, Natasha Pilkauskas, Alix Gould-Werth
Citation: Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, 8
Date: 09/2022
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Suicides Among American Indian or Alaska Native Persons — National Violent Death Reporting System, United States, 2015–2020
Examines differences in suicide characteristics and contributing circumstances among American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations and non-AI/AN populations. Includes data for metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Deborah Stone, Eva Trinh, Hong Zhou, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(37), 1161-1168
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Rural Child Care Solutions: From the Ground Up
Explores challenges related to childcare access in Minnesota that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes data on childcare availability broken down by entirely rural, town/rural mix, urban/town/rural mix, and entirely urban location. Includes discussions, models, and mitigating strategies to address childcare issues.
Additional links: Summary
Author(s): Marnie Werner
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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Priorities for Improvement Across Cancer and Non-Cancer Related Preventive Services among Rural and Non-Rural Clinicians
Results of a survey of primary care physicians on preventive care services in need of improvement in their clinics. Reports on 2021 data from 326 survey respondents in 49 states who discuss improvement areas such such as screenings, nutrition counseling, and physical activity counseling. Includes rural versus urban breakdowns for priorities in improvement areas.
Author(s): Michaela Brtnikova, Jamie L. Studts, Elise Robertson, et al.
Citation: BMC Primary Care, 23, 231
Date: 09/2022
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Rural–Urban Differences in Breast and Colorectal Cancer Screening among US Women, 2014-2019
Analyzes disparities in breast and colorectal cancer screening in rural and urban women aged 50-74 in the U.S. using 2014-2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. Includes demographic breakdowns by age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, education level, income, marital status, health behaviors, and reported access to healthcare.
Author(s): Nicholas Theodoropoulos, Hui Xie, Qian Wang, Chi Wen, Yannan Li
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 22(3), 7339
Date: 09/2022
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Urban and Rural Differences in New Onset Type 2 Diabetes: Comparisons Across National and Regional Samples in the Diabetes Lead Network
Examines the likelihood of new onset type 2 diabetes (T2D) by community type. Utilizes 3 longitudinal study samples about diabetes in the United States to track new onset T2D by U.S. region as well as higher density urban, lower density urban, suburban/small town, and rural community type. Includes further demographic breakdowns by age, sex, race/ethnicity, socio-economic factors, and smoking behaviors.
Author(s): Tara P. McAlexander, Gargya Malla, Jalal Uddin, et al.
Citation: SSM - Population Health, 19, 101161
Date: 09/2022
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Income in the United States: 2021
Reports on income levels for 2020 and 2021, along with the percent change from 2020 to 2021. Includes statistics for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Based on data from the 2021 and 2022 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplements.
Author(s): Jessica Semega, Melissa Kollar
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Poverty in the United States: 2021
Reports on poverty rates for 2020 and 2021, including changes in official poverty and changes in the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) rate. Includes statistics for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Based on data from the 2021 and 2022 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplements.
Author(s): John Creamer, Emily A. Shrider, Kalee Burns, Frances Chen
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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