Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
MedPAC Data Book: Health Care Spending and the Medicare Program, 2025
Provides an overview of Medicare spending and highlights data on Medicare beneficiary demographics, dual-eligible beneficiaries, quality of care provided through the Medicare program, and other payer liability. Examines settings of care, including rural-specific provider sites, as they relate to spending, access to care, and profit margins. Compares rural and urban beneficiaries and providers throughout. Chart 6-2 addresses rural hospital closures and Rural Emergency Hospital conversions.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Provides an overview of Medicare spending and highlights data on Medicare beneficiary demographics, dual-eligible beneficiaries, quality of care provided through the Medicare program, and other payer liability. Examines settings of care, including rural-specific provider sites, as they relate to spending, access to care, and profit margins. Compares rural and urban beneficiaries and providers throughout. Chart 6-2 addresses rural hospital closures and Rural Emergency Hospital conversions.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Evaluation of a Combined Text Messaging and Online Survey Protocol for Giardiasis Case Investigation — Colorado, September 2023–May 2024
Reports on the use of text message–based survey invitations to gather case data from Colorado patients with laboratory-confirmed Giardia infection. Includes data on response levels among rural and urban patients.
Author(s): Ingrid Hewitson, Amanda Tran, Alayna Younger, Rachel H. Jervis
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(26), 424-429
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on the use of text message–based survey invitations to gather case data from Colorado patients with laboratory-confirmed Giardia infection. Includes data on response levels among rural and urban patients.
Author(s): Ingrid Hewitson, Amanda Tran, Alayna Younger, Rachel H. Jervis
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(26), 424-429
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Associations Between Screen Time Use and Health Outcomes Among US Teenagers
Examines screen use and its correlation to health outcomes in teenagers aged 12 to 17. Utilizes self-reported data from the 2021–2023 National Health Interview Survey-Teen (NHIS-Teen) to analyze physical activity, sleep, weight, and mental health, further broken down by respondent demographics, including metro versus nonmetro location.
Author(s): Benjamin Zablotsky, Amanda E. Ng, Lindsey I. Black, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22
Date: 07/2025
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Examines screen use and its correlation to health outcomes in teenagers aged 12 to 17. Utilizes self-reported data from the 2021–2023 National Health Interview Survey-Teen (NHIS-Teen) to analyze physical activity, sleep, weight, and mental health, further broken down by respondent demographics, including metro versus nonmetro location.
Author(s): Benjamin Zablotsky, Amanda E. Ng, Lindsey I. Black, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22
Date: 07/2025
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Electronic Public Health Reporting Among Non-Federal Acute Care Hospitals, 2024
Data brief examining public health reporting among acute care hospitals, including rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), in 2024 using data from the the 2024 American Hospital Association (AHA) Information Technology (IT) supplement. Presents data on the mean number of public health reporting types completed by hospital size, CAH status, rural/urban location, and independent/system affiliation. Describes challenges hospitals face with electronic public health reporting and electronic health information, such as lack of capacity to exchange electronically, interface issues, and differing vocabulary standards. Appendix Table A1 presents data on the methods used to submit data electronically across four data streams - immunization registry, syndromic surveillance, electronic lab reporting, and electronic case reporting - by hospital characteristics.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Data brief examining public health reporting among acute care hospitals, including rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), in 2024 using data from the the 2024 American Hospital Association (AHA) Information Technology (IT) supplement. Presents data on the mean number of public health reporting types completed by hospital size, CAH status, rural/urban location, and independent/system affiliation. Describes challenges hospitals face with electronic public health reporting and electronic health information, such as lack of capacity to exchange electronically, interface issues, and differing vocabulary standards. Appendix Table A1 presents data on the methods used to submit data electronically across four data streams - immunization registry, syndromic surveillance, electronic lab reporting, and electronic case reporting - by hospital characteristics.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Mental Health Symptoms and Receipt of Mental Health Care Among US Adults Diagnosed With Kidney Disease
Examines mental health and use of healthcare among adults with and without kidney disease, utilizing 2021 National Health Interview Survey data. See Table 1 for data on kidney disease diagnosis prevalence by demographic, including level of rurality.
Author(s): Maria A. Villarroel, Xun Wang
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, 240509
Date: 07/2025
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Examines mental health and use of healthcare among adults with and without kidney disease, utilizing 2021 National Health Interview Survey data. See Table 1 for data on kidney disease diagnosis prevalence by demographic, including level of rurality.
Author(s): Maria A. Villarroel, Xun Wang
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, 240509
Date: 07/2025
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Geographic and Demographic Correlates of Living in Manufactured Homes: Implications for Health
Examines rates of living in manufactured homes by rural and urban location, and rates among rural residents by region and socio-demographic characteristics. Features statistics on likelihood of living in manufactured housing, crowded housing by manufactured housing status, and housing quality and cost burden, with breakdowns by urban and rural location.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Jonathan Schroeder, Alexis Swendener, Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Examines rates of living in manufactured homes by rural and urban location, and rates among rural residents by region and socio-demographic characteristics. Features statistics on likelihood of living in manufactured housing, crowded housing by manufactured housing status, and housing quality and cost burden, with breakdowns by urban and rural location.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Jonathan Schroeder, Alexis Swendener, Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Illegally Made Fentanyl Use in the United States: 2022 and 2023
Report highlights findings from the 2022 and 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) on the use of illegally made fentanyl across the U.S. Explores co-usage with other drugs, emergency room visits/hospitalizations, and breaks down user characteristics by age, poverty level, and rurality, among other measures.
Citation: NSDUH Data Brief, 2(2)
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Report highlights findings from the 2022 and 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) on the use of illegally made fentanyl across the U.S. Explores co-usage with other drugs, emergency room visits/hospitalizations, and breaks down user characteristics by age, poverty level, and rurality, among other measures.
Citation: NSDUH Data Brief, 2(2)
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Access and Quality of Mental Health Services in Rural and Urban America
Research brief brief documenting recent trends in mental healthcare access and quality in urban and rural communities. Features state-level maps showing locations of mental health facilities, a county-level map with shadings showing driving distances to any mental health facility or access to telehealth, and statistics on ZIP code area demographics, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, and small rural area.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Sophia N. D. Negaro, Rachel M. Hantman, et al.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
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Research brief brief documenting recent trends in mental healthcare access and quality in urban and rural communities. Features state-level maps showing locations of mental health facilities, a county-level map with shadings showing driving distances to any mental health facility or access to telehealth, and statistics on ZIP code area demographics, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, and small rural area.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Sophia N. D. Negaro, Rachel M. Hantman, et al.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
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Traffic Safety Facts, 2023 Data: Rural/Urban Traffic Fatalities
Reports 2023 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data describing fatal motor vehicle crashes. Provides rural versus urban statistics for fatal motor vehicle crashes by light condition, roadway departure and intersection, age group, speeding, alcohol use, seat belt use, and rollover crashes. Includes statistics on ratio of rural to urban fatality rates per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, by state, as of 2023.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Reports 2023 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data describing fatal motor vehicle crashes. Provides rural versus urban statistics for fatal motor vehicle crashes by light condition, roadway departure and intersection, age group, speeding, alcohol use, seat belt use, and rollover crashes. Includes statistics on ratio of rural to urban fatality rates per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, by state, as of 2023.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Traffic Safety Facts, 2023 Data: Pedestrians
National data on fatal and nonfatal traffic crashes involving pedestrians. Features statistics from 2014-2023 with breakdowns by sex, age group, blood alcohol concentrations of drivers and pedestrians, state, and rural or urban location.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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National data on fatal and nonfatal traffic crashes involving pedestrians. Features statistics from 2014-2023 with breakdowns by sex, age group, blood alcohol concentrations of drivers and pedestrians, state, and rural or urban location.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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