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Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Trends in United States Mortality among Patients with Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter Related Heart Failure (1999–2024): Disparities by Gender, Race/Ethnicity and Region
Examines the correlation between atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) mortality across various demographic groups in the United States. Utilizes 1999-2024 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) data to analyze deaths due to AF related HF by demographic groups, states, U.S. regions, and metro versus nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Suraksha Rani, Laksh Kumar, Sheikh Muhammad Ebtehaj Ali, et al.
Citation: BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, 25, 558
Date: 07/2025
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Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Mobile HIV Prevention App to Increase HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Initiation Among Rural Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Southern United States: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
A study protocol that plans to analyze the effectiveness of using a mobile app to increase HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) initiation among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the rural South. Discusses recruitment and analysis methods in this type 2 hybrid effectiveness-implementation randomized controlled trial.
Author(s): Jeb Jones, Georgia Manley, Tiffany R. Glynn, et al.
Citation: JMIR Research Protocols, 14, e69540
Date: 07/2025
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Prevalence of Clinician-Ordered Genetic Testing in Rural and Urban United States Counties: An Analysis of the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey
Examines whether rural and urban populations experience differences in clinician-ordered genetic testing prevalence, utilizing Health Information National Trends Survey data. Includes data on patient demographics associated with differences in genetic testing.
Author(s): Anne C. Madeo, Erin D. Bouldin, Kimberly A. Kaphingst, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine Reports, 57, 103163
Date: 07/2025
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Examining US Adolescent Cigarette Smoking Prevalence by Rurality and Gender, 2002–2019
Examines rural and urban prevalence of cigarette smoking among adolescents by sex, utilizing 2002-2019 U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health data. Analyzes changes over time and discusses rural-specific smoking disparities.
Author(s): Tyler G. Erath, Fang Fang Chen, Michael DeSarno, Stephen T. Higgins
Citation: Preventive Medicine, 108377
Date: 07/2025
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Maternal Mortality in the United States, 2025
Explores the causes of maternal mortality and its impact on overall health. Presents data on overall trends in U.S. maternal mortality; timing, causes, and place of maternal deaths; and how pregnancy-related deaths are related to infant mortality. Discusses rural disparities, behavioral health challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on pregnant women, and efforts to address the maternal health crisis.
Author(s): Eugene Declercq, Laurie Zephyrin
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Household Firearm Storage Practices
Examines household firearm storage practices in the state of Washington between 2013 to 2022. Utilizes data from 77,275 adults and provides firearm storage practices according to sex, veteran status, race, presence of children in the household, age, and small town/rural, large town/suburban, or urban location.
Author(s): Kelsey M. Conrick, Samantha Banks, Julia P. Schleimer, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(7)
Date: 07/2025
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Composition of the Public Health Workforce: Distribution, Training, and Tenure
Examines the composition of the public health workforce and the characteristics of their respective jurisdictions. Analyzes 248 local health departments (LHDs) and includes rural versus urban data breakdowns according to number and tenure of employees, employee education, demographic characteristics, and more.
Author(s): Casey P. Balio, Haleigh Leslie, Michael B. Meit
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, 31(4), 214-221
Date: 07/2025
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Geographic Variability in Contemporary Utilization of PET Imaging for Prostate Cancer: A Medicare Claims Cohort Study
Analyzes likelihood of receiving Positron Emission Tomography (PET) by level of rurality as part of prostate cancer treatment, utilizing 2019-2021 Medicare claims data. Includes analysis of interactions between metro, urban, or rural geography and patients' race.
Author(s): Stephan M. Korn, Zhiyu Qian, Hanna Zurl, et al.
Citation: Cancer Imaging, 25, 86
Date: 07/2025
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Natural Hazards, Losses, and Quality of Hazard Mitigation Plans in Rural Pennsylvania
Results of a study identifying and analyzing characteristics of natural hazards and losses in Pennsylvania over time, characteristics of rural and urban hazard mitigation planning, and challenges for county emergency management coordinators. Offers recommendations to address staff shortages faced by emergency management personnel in rural areas. Features statistics including property losses and deaths from hazards in Pennsylvania by year from 2000-2021, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Jennifer J. Haney
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Access to OB-GYNs: Evaluating Workforce Supply and ACA Marketplace Networks
Examines the workforce supply of OB-GYNs employed in the United States and part of insurance marketplace networks. Provides interactive county-level data on number of practicing OB-GYNs per 100,000 women aged 15-64. Presents the share of counties with no OB-GYNs and the share of women living in them according to rural, small metro, or urban county classification.
Author(s): Michelle Long, Matthew Rae, Aubrey Winger, and Kaye Pestaina
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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