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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Emergency Department Visits Related to Substance Use Disorders, 2019
Explores emergency department (ED) visits related to substance use disorders (SUD) using data from the 2019 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS). Presents the number and percentage of SUD-related ED visits by race and ethnicity for selected patient characteristics, including sex, age group, rural/urban location, and the social vulnerability of the county in which the individual resides.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Variation in Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics, by Size of Community: United States, 2020
Examines residential care communities in 2020 by community size, which is calculated by the number of residential care beds in their community: 4-25 beds, 26-50 beds, or over 50 beds. Includes data further broken down by selected resident characteristics, including age; Medicaid beneficiary status; prevalence of chronic conditions; and assistance needs for walking, bathing, eating.
Author(s): Christine Caffrey, Amanuel Melekin, Zhaohui Lu, Manisha Sengupta
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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How the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed Urban and Rural Spending Habits
A collection of charts showing changes in spending in urban and rural areas in 2019 compared to 2020. Includes data on healthcare expenditures, including medical supplies, medical services, health insurance, and prescription drugs. Also covers spending related to food, transportation, and more.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Bureau of Labor Statistics
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Changes in Hospitalizations and In-Hospital Deaths in the Initial Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic (April–December 2020), 38 States and DC
Presents data from 38 states on the number of all-cause hospitalizations and in-hospital deaths between April-December 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. Includes data by location of patient residence for large metro, medium and small metro, and rural areas.
Author(s): Marc Roemer, Jennifer Welch
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Exploring Health Insurance Coverage in the North Central Region at the Intersection of Location, Employment, Gender, Race, and Ethnicity
Provides data on health insurance coverage in North Central Region states. Includes rural versus urban coverage comparisons, further broken down by employment type and demographic variables.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
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Recent Data Suggest Rural America Is Growing Again After a Decade of Population Loss
Offers a snapshot of rural population changes, highlighting metro and nonmetro changes between 2010 and 2021 based on Census Bureau Population Estimates Program and Decennial Census data. Discusses trends and investments in rural areas that may impact population growth or decline.
Author(s): Kenneth M. Johnson
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
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Health Insurance in Rural Communities, with Abigail Barker and Timothy McBride
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Abigail Barker and Timothy McBride, co-investigators at the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis. Discusses their findings about rural health insurance coverage shared in the recently published chartbook, An Insurance Profile of Rural America.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years Living in Families That Were Food-Insecure in the Past 30 Days, by Family Income and Urbanicity — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2021
Bar chart showing the percent of adults in food insecure families overall, in urban areas, and in rural areas, with breakdowns by income level for those under the federal poverty level (FPL), between 100-199% of the FPL, and 200% or more of the FPL.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(48), 1539
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Before and During Pandemic Telemedicine Use: An Analysis of Rural and Urban Safety-Net Clinics
Investigates telemedicine use for primary care before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizes electronic health record data to analyze 1,015,722 patients seen in 466 different safety-net clinics. Includes on patients by demographic characteristics; chronic disease status; and urban, large rural, small rural, or isolated rural residence.
Author(s): Annie E. Larson, Whitney E. Zahnd, Melinda M. Davis, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 63(6), 1031-1036
Date: 12/2022
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Impact of Mandatory COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place Order on Controlled Substance Use Among Rural Versus Urban Communities in the United States
Features a study on the effect the shelter-in-place orders during the COVID-19 pandemic had on uses of controlled substances, such as methamphetamine, opioids, and cocaine, among others. Draws data from calls made to poison control centers from October of 2019 to July of 2020 and compares rates of calls by rural versus urban locations.
Author(s): Daniel Maeng, Yue Li, Michele Lawrence, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(1), 21-29
Date: 12/2022
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