This website is being reviewed for updates. Some information is offline. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Joint Effect of Race/Ethnicity or Location of Residence and Sex on Low Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol among Veterans with Type 2 Diabetes: A 10-year Retrospective Cohort Study
Details a study exploring the intersection of race/ethnicity, sex, and rurality in the effective management of cardiovascular disease by veterans with type 2 diabetes. Highlights the importance and difficulty of managing low-density lipoproteins (LDL) for patients with both cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Breaks down data by race, sex, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Erin R. Weeda, Kinfe G. Bishu, Ralph Ward, et al.
Citation: BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, 20, 449
Date: 10/2020
view details
Child Care in 25 States: What We Know and Don't Know
Compares the supply and demand for childcare services in 25 states, and examines potential reasons behind resulting child care gaps. Features state-by-state data on child care need, including urban versus rural comparisons. Discusses challenges with data collection and offers recommendations for improvement.
Additional links: Webinar Recording
Author(s): Linda K. Smith, Anubhav Bagley, Benjamin Wolters
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
view details
Nonmetro Population Change Has Remained Near Zero in Recent Years
Line chart showing population change for the U.S., metropolitan areas, and nonmetro areas from 1976-2019.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
view details
Association of Rurality With Availability of Youth Mental Health Facilities With Suicide Prevention Services in the US
Presents a study on the availability of suicide prevention services for youths age 15-19 at mental health facilities in rural versus urban areas. Compares the rates of prevalence of mental health facilities, youth-serving mental health facilities, and youth-serving mental health facilities with suicide prevention programs by rural-urban continuum codes.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Demetrius A. Abshire, Jessica L. Mackelprang, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 3(10), e2021471
Date: 10/2020
view details
Prevalence and Characteristics of Telehealth Utilization in the United States
Results of a survey of 2555 people conducted between February-April 2019 to estimate the use of different forms of telehealth and reasons for nonuse. Features demographic statistics with breakdowns by urban or rural location.
Author(s): Shira H. Fischer, Kristin N. Ray, Ateev Mehrotra, Erika Litvin Bloom, Lori Uscher-Pines
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 3(10)
Date: 10/2020
view details
Assessment of Changes in Rural and Urban Primary Care Workforce in the United States From 2009 to 2017
Results of a study comparing the primary care workforce and its growth between urban and rural counties or county-equivalents from 2009-2017. Features county-level maps showing the distribution of primary care physicians and non-physician clinicians, and statistics with breakdowns by provider type and rural or urban location.
Author(s): Donglan Zhang, Heejung Son, Ye Shen
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 3(10)
Date: 10/2020
view details
Association Between Social Vulnerability and a County's Risk for Becoming a COVID-19 Hotspot — United States, June 1–July 25, 2020
Examines associations between social vulnerability and COVID-19 hotspot locations, based on June 1–July 25, 2020 county-level COVID-19 cases and data from the 2018 CDC social vulnerability index. Includes data by level of urbanicity for large metropolitan, small/medium metro, and nonmetro counties. Looks at both social vulnerability overall and specific components, such as percent of residents who speak English less than well and housing and transportation vulnerability.
Author(s): Sharoda Dasgupta, Virginia B. Bowen, Andrew Leidner, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(42), 1535-1541
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
Vaccination Coverage by Age 24 Months Among Children Born in 2016 and 2017 — National Immunization Survey-Child, United States, 2017–2019
Examines vaccination coverage for selected vaccines and doses among children born in 2016 and 2017. Supplementary Table 2 includes data for metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Additional links: Supplementary Table 2
Author(s): Holly A. Hill, David Yankey, Laurie D. Elam-Evans, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(42), 1505-1511
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
Framework for a Community Health Observing System for the Gulf of Mexico Region: Preparing for Future Disasters
Outlines a system for monitoring community health during potential disasters in the Gulf of Mexico region. Details the a framework for collecting and organizing data, and discusses considerations in assessing the disparities between rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Paul Sandifer, Landon Knapp, Maureen Lichtveld, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 8, 578463
Date: 10/2020
view details
The U.S. Rural Mortality Penalty is Wide and Growing
Policy brief examining rural-urban differences in mortality rates among non-Hispanic White people from 1990-2018. Features statistics with breakdowns by age group, sex, metropolitan and nonmetropolitan location, cause of death, and mortality rate per 100,000 people.
Author(s): Shannon M. Monnat
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Aging and Policy Studies, Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion
view details