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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

QuickStats: Age-Adjusted Death Rates from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Among Persons Aged ≥55 Years, by Sex and Urbanization of County of Residence - United States, 2009-2011
Bar chart showing death rates from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas by gender among adults over 55.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 63(44), 1016
Date: 11/2014
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Disparities in Obesity Among Rural and Urban Residents in a Health Disparate Region
Reports on a community-based study to measure and compare the current levels of obesity and associated lifestyle behaviors of physical activity and diets of fruits and vegetables among rural and urban residents in south central Virginia and north central North Carolina.
Author(s): Jennie L Hill, Wen You, Jamie M Zoellner
Citation: BMC Public Health, 2014(14), 1051
Date: 10/2014
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Characteristics of Medicaid and Uninsured Hospitalizations, 2012
Provides data on hospital stays in 2012 where the payer was Medicaid or the patient was uninsured. Table 2 provides data on rural versus urban hospitals and Table 3 provides data for patients who were residents of rural areas.
Author(s): Lorena Lopez-Gonzalez, Gary T. Pickens, Raynard Washington, Audrey J. Weiss
Date: 10/2014
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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The 2014 Update of the Rural-Urban Chartbook
Updates information presented in Health, United States, 2001: With Urban and Rural Health Chartbook. Highlights current trends and disparities across different levels of metro and nonmetropolitan counties, including population characteristics; health-related behaviors and risk factors; mortality rates; healthcare access and use; mental health measures; and other health measures such as teen birth rates, tooth loss, and activity limitations due to chronic disease. Individual data tables are available in an Excel file.
Author(s): Michael Meit, Alana Knudson, Tess Gilbert, et al.
Date: 10/2014
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center
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Rural-Urban Disparities in Heart Disease
Policy brief reporting on rural disparities in heart disease and the associated risk factors of obesity and physical inactivity. Includes heart disease-related death rates and information on obesity prevalence by sex, region, and rural/urban status from 2008-2010. Based on data from the 2014 Update of the Rural-Urban Chartbook.
Author(s): Alana Knudson, Michael Meit, Shena Popat
Date: 10/2014
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center
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Distribution of U.S. Health Care Providers Residing in Rural and Urban Areas
Presents the supply and distribution of practitioners in 32 health occupations across urban and rural areas, from 2008-2010, based on their place of residence. Includes statistics with breakdowns by rural or urban location.
Date: 10/2014
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
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Assessing Environmental Support for Better Health: Active Living Opportunity Audits in Rural Communities in the Southern United States
Describes the built environment, policies, and availability of facilities for physical activity in eight rural communities, four in Alabama and four in the Mississippi Delta, to inform diet and physical activity interventions. Acts as part of a partnership to eliminate cancer health disparities in the Deep South. Includes community data by Rural Active Living Assessment (RALA) measures, such as sidewalks, destinations, and walk-ability.
Author(s): Jennifer C. Robinson, Tiffany L. Carson, Erica R. Johnson, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine, 66, 28-33
Date: 09/2014
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The Impact of Hospital Obstetric Volume on Maternal Outcomes in Term, Non-Low-Birthweight Pregnancies
Analyzes the impact of hospital obstetric volumes on maternal outcomes in low-risk women delivering non-low-birthweight infants at term. Includes hospital obstetric outcome data by rural and non-rural settings and hospital volume category. Compares rural and non-rural hospitals on maternal outcomes and characteristics.
Author(s): Jonathan M. Snowden, Yvonne W. Cheng, Cathy L. Emeis, Aaron B. Caughey
Citation: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 212(3), 380.e1-380.e9
Date: 09/2014
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The Associations Between Park Environments and Park Use in Southern US Communities
Examines park use, characteristics associated with parks and neighborhood environments in rural communities, and the relationship between park characteristics and park use. Includes data for 6 parks by demographics and park environment characteristics, such as park amenities or percent rural population.
Author(s): Jorge A. Banda, Sara Wilcox, Natalie Colabianchi, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 30(4), 369-378
Date: 09/2014
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Trends in Emergency Department Visits, 2006-2011
Provides data on changes in emergency department (ED) visits from 2006 to 2011. Table 1 includes information on the rate of ED use for rural areas compared to urban.
Author(s): Halcyon G. Skinner, Janice Blanchard, Anne Elixhauser
Date: 09/2014
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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