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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Trends and Patterns of Job Quality in the United States
Studies job quality trends including wage levels, employer sponsored health insurance, and retirement benefits between 2000 and 2022 for workers in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Also considers other factors such as race and ethnicity, sex, and industry.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Ephraim M. Nkonya, John Pender
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Differences in Influenza Testing and Treatment in Micropolitan Versus Metropolitan Areas in the U.S. Using Medicare Claims Data from 2010 to 2016
Compares rates of influenza testing and anti-viral treatment in micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas, utilizing 2010-2016 CMS billing data. Discusses the significance of geographic disparities for influenza public health response.
Author(s): Alexia Couture, F. Scott Dahlgren, Hector S. Izurieta, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 25, 291
Date: 01/2025
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Lower Electronic Health Record Adoption and Interoperability in Rural Versus Urban Physician Participants: A Cross-Sectional Analysis from the CMS Quality Payment Program
Compares rural versus urban physician adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) and interoperability, as related to federal programs such as Medicare Access, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2015, and the 21st Century Cures Act. Utilizes 2021 Quality Payment Program Experience Report Public Use File data to analyze 209,152 physicians, with rural versus urban data breakdowns according to physician practice characteristics, EHR adoption, geographic distribution of interoperability scores, and more.
Author(s): A. Jerrod Anzalone, Carol R. Geary, Ran Dai, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 128
Date: 01/2025
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Urban and Rural Differences in Cancer Treatment Disruption Among Patients With COVID-19: An Analysis of the US ASCO COVID-19 in Oncology Registry
Examines rural and urban experiences of cancer treatment delay or discontinuation associated with COVID-19 between March 2020 and September 2022, utilizing data of 3,797 cancer patients from the American Society of Clinical Oncology Survey on COVID-19 in Oncology Registry. Includes data breakdowns by demographic and clinical factors.
Author(s): Yu Chen Lin, Kea Turner, Oliver T. Nguyen, et al.
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 14(2), e70512
Date: 01/2025
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Number of Census Tracts Classified Low Income and Low Access to Foodstores Increased in U.S. Urban and Rural Areas from 2015 to 2019
Bar chart comparing number of rural and urban census tracts classified as either or both low-income and low foodstore access between 2015 and 2019. Discusses reasons for the changes over time.
Author(s): Alana Rhone, Clio Polanco Cercado
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Travel Time as an Indicator of Poor Access to Care in Surgical Emergencies
Results of a study to determine how proximity to emergency care impacts disease complexity for patients with acute surgical conditions. Features statistics including sociodemographic and clinical characteristics by travel time, with breakdowns by rural, micropolitan, and metropolitan areas.
Author(s): Nina M. Clark, Alexandra H. Hernandez, Mia S. Bertalan, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(1), e2455258
Date: 01/2025
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Eighth Biennial Report 2025: Health Issues for the State of North Dakota
Updates the previous seven editions of this report with a comprehensive examination of healthcare workforce licensure data related to number of licensed professionals, locations, specialties, and demographics in rural and urban North Dakota. Includes three new chapters on indigenous health, women's and children's health, and the community impacts of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences
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Evaluating Access to Psychosocial Services for the Medicaid-Insured Children in Georgia
Assesses mental health workforce supply and demand for psychosocial services for the Medicaid-insured children in Georgia, and examines the impact of policy interventions to increase availability of services for the Medicaid-insured population. Analyzes factors associated with unmet demand, including data on rurality, travel distance, and more.
Author(s): Yujia Xie, Pravara Harati, Janani Rajbhandari-Thapa, Nicoleta Serban
Citation: BMC Public Health, 25, 244
Date: 01/2025
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Predictors of County-Level Diabetes-Related Mortality Risks in Florida, USA: A Retrospective Ecological Study
Examines geographic disparities in diabetes-related mortality risk (DRMR) in Florida. Explores the association between county-level factors and DRMR, including data on rurality, age, health behaviors, and more.
Author(s): Nirmalendu Deb Nath, Agricola Odoi
Citation: PeerJ Life & Environment, 13, e18537
Date: 01/2025
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Behavioral Health Diagnosis, Service Utilization, and Spending Among Older Adult Medicare Beneficiaries: A Chartbook
Examines the prevalence of behavioral health (BH) conditions among older adults. Utilizes 2017-2019 Medicare claims and administrative data to examine BH diagnoses, BH service utilization, cost of services, and more. Includes data breakdowns according to diagnosis, substance use, rates of diagnoses and service utilization, service type, rurality, and additional demographic factors.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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