Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
Caregiving in the US 2025
A national profile of family caregivers, describing demographics, living situations, wellness, and more as well as caregiving related policies. Discusses rural throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Full Report, Infographic
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organizations: AARP, National Alliance for Caregiving
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A national profile of family caregivers, describing demographics, living situations, wellness, and more as well as caregiving related policies. Discusses rural throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Full Report, Infographic
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organizations: AARP, National Alliance for Caregiving
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Pennsylvania Rural Health Plan, 2025-2030
Highlights healthcare challenges in rural Pennsylvania, acknowledges strengths, and promotes recommendations to address disparities. Features demographics and sections on social determinants of health, agricultural safety and farmworker health, aging, disabilities, homelessness, veterans, Pennsylvania's healthcare delivery system, broadband access, and telehealth.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Rural Health Association
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Highlights healthcare challenges in rural Pennsylvania, acknowledges strengths, and promotes recommendations to address disparities. Features demographics and sections on social determinants of health, agricultural safety and farmworker health, aging, disabilities, homelessness, veterans, Pennsylvania's healthcare delivery system, broadband access, and telehealth.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Rural Health Association
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Financial Performance of Rural and Urban Nursing Homes: A Comparative Analysis
Presents a study comparing the financial performance between rural and urban nursing homes. Discusses the different structural barriers and facilitators that affect the operating margins in rural and urban facilities.
Author(s): Gregory N. Orewa, Rohit Pradhan, Akbar Ghiasi, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70053
Date: 07/2025
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Presents a study comparing the financial performance between rural and urban nursing homes. Discusses the different structural barriers and facilitators that affect the operating margins in rural and urban facilities.
Author(s): Gregory N. Orewa, Rohit Pradhan, Akbar Ghiasi, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70053
Date: 07/2025
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Emergency Department Visits among Rural and Urban Older Adults: Disparities in Ambulatory and Emergency Care Sensitive Conditions
Compares emergency department (ED) utilization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) and emergency care sensitive conditions (ECSCs) among rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries. Presents findings from a pooled cross-sectional analysis of 2016–2020 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data.
Author(s): Cameron J. Gettel, Courtney Kitchen, Craig Rothenberg, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 275
Date: 07/2025
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Compares emergency department (ED) utilization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) and emergency care sensitive conditions (ECSCs) among rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries. Presents findings from a pooled cross-sectional analysis of 2016–2020 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data.
Author(s): Cameron J. Gettel, Courtney Kitchen, Craig Rothenberg, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 275
Date: 07/2025
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Evaluating the Implementation of Maternal Safety Bundles for Obstetric Hemorrhage and Severe Hypertension During Pregnancy in Arkansas
Examines the impact of maternal safety bundles to improve outcomes for patients with obstetric hemorrhage and maternal hypertension. Analyzes safety bundle implementation in 37 Arkansas hospitals, with breakdowns according to hospital characteristics such as hospital size and type, number of beds, number of maternal healthcare professionals, rural versus urban region, and more.
Author(s): Cheng Peng, Mahip Acharya, Batool Khattab, et al.
Citation: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 25, 793
Date: 07/2025
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Examines the impact of maternal safety bundles to improve outcomes for patients with obstetric hemorrhage and maternal hypertension. Analyzes safety bundle implementation in 37 Arkansas hospitals, with breakdowns according to hospital characteristics such as hospital size and type, number of beds, number of maternal healthcare professionals, rural versus urban region, and more.
Author(s): Cheng Peng, Mahip Acharya, Batool Khattab, et al.
Citation: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 25, 793
Date: 07/2025
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Palliative Care and Caregiving in the Midwest, Metro and Nonmetro Geographies: Insights from HINTS 2024
Examines characteristics of palliative caregiving in the Midwest. Utilizes 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) data to provide metro versus nonmetro breakdowns on the health of caregivers, knowledge about and perspectives on palliative care, person being cared for, and more.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Examines characteristics of palliative caregiving in the Midwest. Utilizes 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) data to provide metro versus nonmetro breakdowns on the health of caregivers, knowledge about and perspectives on palliative care, person being cared for, and more.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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AACOM Applicants & Matriculants Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) Categories & Regions 2016-2024
Report on osteopathic medical school applicants and matriculants, using data from the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) application to summarize categories and geographic regions. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density.
Author(s): Erik Guercio
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
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Report on osteopathic medical school applicants and matriculants, using data from the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) application to summarize categories and geographic regions. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density.
Author(s): Erik Guercio
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
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Most Medicare Advantage Markets are Dominated by One or Two Insurers
Examines the competitiveness of Medicare Advantage (MA) markets at the county level. Explores how often one or two Medicare Advantage insurers enrolled at least half of all enrollees within a county. Compares data on the share of counties in very concentrated MA markets across urban, rural adjacent, and rural non-adjacent counties.
Author(s): Nicole Zhu, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Nolan Sroczynski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Examines the competitiveness of Medicare Advantage (MA) markets at the county level. Explores how often one or two Medicare Advantage insurers enrolled at least half of all enrollees within a county. Compares data on the share of counties in very concentrated MA markets across urban, rural adjacent, and rural non-adjacent counties.
Author(s): Nicole Zhu, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Nolan Sroczynski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Metropolitan/Nonmetropolitan Differences of the Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Survivors' Care
Examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care in metro and nonmetro locations. Utilizes 2021 Health Information National Trends-Surveillance Epidemiology End Results (HINTS-SEER) data from cancer survivors regarding their routine cancer screening, preventive care, treatment, and follow-up appointments.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Jason T. Semprini, Robin C. Vanderpool, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3)
Date: 07/2025
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Examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care in metro and nonmetro locations. Utilizes 2021 Health Information National Trends-Surveillance Epidemiology End Results (HINTS-SEER) data from cancer survivors regarding their routine cancer screening, preventive care, treatment, and follow-up appointments.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Jason T. Semprini, Robin C. Vanderpool, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3)
Date: 07/2025
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Is Rural Residence an Independent Risk Factor for Spontaneous Preterm Birth at a Midwestern Tertiary Care Center? A Cross-Sectional Study
Examines the correlation between rural residence and spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). Analyzes 16,974 deliveries among 13,339 women at a Midwest tertiary care center according to patient demographics, gestational age, insurance status, health status and behaviors, and rural versus urban location. Discusses rurality as a variable and potential causes for the correlation to sPTB.
Author(s): Abbie Lund, Barcey T. Levy, Yinghui Xu, David A. Bedell, Mark K. Santillan
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 16
Date: 07/2025
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Examines the correlation between rural residence and spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). Analyzes 16,974 deliveries among 13,339 women at a Midwest tertiary care center according to patient demographics, gestational age, insurance status, health status and behaviors, and rural versus urban location. Discusses rurality as a variable and potential causes for the correlation to sPTB.
Author(s): Abbie Lund, Barcey T. Levy, Yinghui Xu, David A. Bedell, Mark K. Santillan
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 16
Date: 07/2025
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