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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Health, United States, 2018
Presents an annual overview of national trends in health statistics. Covers health status and determinants, healthcare utilization, access, and expenditures. Includes rural data - see the Trend Tables Data Finder and select "Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan" under Population Subgroups.
Date: 2019
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Opioid Epidemic in the United States: Empirical Trends, and A Literature Review of Social Determinants and Epidemiological, Pain Management, and Treatment Patterns
Analyzes trends in U.S. drug overdose mortality by key social determinants. Reports findings from a selective review of the literature on how the opioid crisis is impacting different segments of the population, including rural residents.
Author(s): Gopal K. Singh, Isaac E. Kim, Mehrete Girmay, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS, 8(2), 89-100
Date: 2019
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Shaping Summertime Experiences: Opportunities to Promote Healthy Development and Well-Being for Children and Youth
Examines the impact of summertime experiences on school-age children and youth related to academic learning, social and emotional development, physical and mental health, and health-promoting and safety behaviors. Includes discussion of rural residence and its impact on children's access to supportive services, including food programs, during the summer.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Committee on Summertime Experiences and Child and Adolescent Education, Health, and Safety
Date: 2019
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Examining Civic Engagement Links to Health: Findings from the Literature and Implications for a Culture of Health
Reports findings from a literature review focused on the relationship between health and civic engagement. Covers studies from the U.S. as well as other countries. Includes some discussion of findings from studies conducted in rural areas.
Author(s): Christopher Nelson, Jennifer Sloan, Anita Chandra
Date: 2019
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Fostering Healthy Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Development in Children and Youth
Report highlights research on mental, emotional, and behavioral development in children and youth. Describes the different challenges for cognitive development in both urban and rural areas and explores the necessary structures that facilitate regular development. Available for free download with login.
Date: 2019
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Change in Site of Children's Primary Care: A Longitudinal Population-Based Analysis
Results of a study examining the proportion of children seen at family practice and pediatrician practices in Vermont over time, and the influence of demographics and rurality on this trend. Features statistics on change in site of children's primary care for the years between 2009-2016, with breakdowns by patient home locations in urban, large town, small town, or isolated rural area.
Author(s): Richard C. Wasserman, Susan E. Varni, Matthew C. Hollander
Citation: Annals of Family Medicine, 17(5), 390-395
Date: 2019
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Health Status and Access to Care among Maine's Low-Income Childless Adults: Implications for State Medicaid Expansion
Examines access to care for low-income adults without children in Maine, along with their health status and demographics. Includes breakdowns by rural residence and a discussion of challenges for rural areas. Offers recommendations to policymakers and others working to implement Maine's Medicaid expansion.
Author(s): Zach Croll, Erika C. Ziller
Date: 2019
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Leapfrog Never Events Report 2019
Examines hospital adherence to Leapfrog's Never Events Policy, which asks hospitals to commit to 9 actions if a "never event" happens, defined as one of 29 serious reportable events that should never happen listed by the National Quality Forum. Identifies rural/urban hospital performance on the initial 5 actions and expanded 9 Never Events Policy actions for 2014-2018.
Date: 2019
Sponsoring organization: Leapfrog Group
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Systemic Overuse of Health Care in a Commercially Insured US Population, 2010-2015
Examines geographic variation in systemic overuse of health care, using commercial insurance claims data from 375 metropolitan areas and 47 rural regions. Features statistics with breakdowns by overuse indicators, and U.S. maps showing regional variations in overuse.
Author(s): Allison H. Oakes, Hsien-Yen Chang, Jodi B. Segal
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 19, 280
Date: 2019
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2018 National Survey of Health Attitudes: Description and Top-Line Summary Data
Results of a survey designed to provide insight into how people in the U.S. think about, value, and prioritize health and issues of health equity. Appendix A shows survey results comparing populations by city size, with breakdowns by rural areas, small towns, midsized cities, and large cities, and Appendix B features statistics comparing urban and rural areas.
Additional links: Appendix A: Survey Results Comparing Populations by City Size, Appendix B: Survey Results Comparing Urban and Rural Populations
Author(s): Katherine Grace Carman, Anita Chandra, Sarah Weilant, Carolyn Miller, Margaret Tait
Date: 2019
Sponsoring organizations: RAND Corporation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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