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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Share Public Health: Rural Health
Podcast series discussing rural life, employment, and health. Topics include successful communities, food systems, public health departments in rural counties, healthcare delivery in their rural communities, and workplace safety, among others.
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: Midwestern Public Health Training Center
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Guidebook and Research Plan to Help Communities Improve Transportation to Health Care Services
Provides guidance to help healthcare and transportation agencies work together to increase transportation services and improve health outcomes. Discusses the effect of limited transportation services on healthcare access and cost in urban, suburban, and rural settings. Includes case studies and examples of collaborative efforts between transportation and healthcare organizations.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Transportation Research Board
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Maternal Mortalities and Severe Maternal Morbidity in Arizona
Provides an overview of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in Arizona as related to issues such as access to healthcare, social determinants of health, and quality of care. Utilizes 2016-2017 data to examine adverse maternal outcomes by county and demographic, including rural versus urban location.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Department of Health Services
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County Reclassifications and Rural–Urban Mortality Disparities in the United States (1970–2018)
Examines urban and rural mortality disparities since 1970, comparing baseline changes to mortality rates by decade of reclassificiation of rural and urban counties based on CDC WONDER data. Describes the impact of reclassification on disparities and the importance of rural and urban classification in policy interventions.
Author(s): Matthew M. Brooks, J. Tom Mueller, Brian C. Thiede
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 110(12): 1814-1816
Date: 12/2020
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The Unique Impacts of U.S. Social and Health Policies on Rural Population Health and Aging
Examines how the Older Americans Act (OAA), the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) impact rural and urban communities differently. Includes discussion about policy efforts and the need to consider the context of place.
Author(s): Danielle C. Rhubart, Shannon M. Monnat, Leif Jensen, Claire Pendergrast
Citation: Public Policy & Aging Report, 31(1), 24-29
Date: 12/2020
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Behavioral Health Barometer: United States, Volume 6
Provides a broad overview of behavioral health in the U.S. with an emphasis on illicit drug, alcohol, and tobacco use, as well as the estimated percentage of people living with serious mental illness. Breaks down data by demographic information, such as age, sex, and others, as well as by metro or nonmetro location. Data is from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Rural Workforce Years: Quantifying the Rural Workforce Contribution of Family Medicine Residency Graduates
Results of a study comparing contributions of rurally trained family medicine residency program graduates from 2007-2013 with contributions of a geographically-matched cohort of non-rurally trained graduates. Features a list of matched programs, demographics, and statistics on total and standardized rural workforce years, with breakdowns by cohort.
Author(s): Peter Meyers, Elizabeth Wilkinson, Stephen Petterson, et al.
Citation: Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 12(6), 717-726
Date: 12/2020
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Rural Resilience: The Role of Birth Centers in the United States
Highlights a study on the efficacy of the birth center model for maternity care and delivery in rural communities compared with their urban and suburban counterparts. Breaks down data by core variables, such as maternal age, maternal and infant outcomes, and transfers, among other measures.
Author(s): Diana Jolles, Susan Stapleton, Jennifer Wright, et al.
Citation: Birth, 47(4), 430–437
Date: 12/2020
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Equitable Recovery and Resilience in Rural America
Reports on geographic, economic, and cultural diversity in rural America, addressing issues of equity, health disparities, and economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. Offers recommendations for local and federal action related to broadband internet access, small business development, and collaboration to support rural economic vitality and equity.
Author(s): Brian Dabson
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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Determinants of Rural-Urban Differences in Health Care Provider Visits Among Women of Reproductive Age in the United States
Uses nationally representative data to investigate whether rural and urban women of reproductive age experience differences in healthcare provider visits. Features rural/urban comparisons on individual- and county-level characteristics and medical provider visits by type of healthcare professional.
Author(s): Hyunjung Lee, Ashley H. Hirai, Ching-Ching Claire Lin, John E. Snyder
Citation: PLos One, 15(12), e0240700
Date: 12/2020
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