Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
Pennsylvania Common Procedures Report 2024
Provides information about the performance and utilization of Pennsylvania hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers for spinal fusion, total hip replacement, and total knee replacement, using data from October 2023 through September 2024. Includes hospitalization rates for each procedure by urban and rural areas, among other breakdowns.
Additional links: Summary and Highlights
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council
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Provides information about the performance and utilization of Pennsylvania hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers for spinal fusion, total hip replacement, and total knee replacement, using data from October 2023 through September 2024. Includes hospitalization rates for each procedure by urban and rural areas, among other breakdowns.
Additional links: Summary and Highlights
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council
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2024 National Summer EBT Family Survey
Examines participation in and impact of Summer EBT (S-EBT), or SUNBucks, during the summer of 2024. Provides data on food insecurity, experiences using S-EBT, and S-EBT information and communications, with information specific to rural parents and families.
Author(s): David Metz, Lucia del Puppo, Denny Han
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Examines participation in and impact of Summer EBT (S-EBT), or SUNBucks, during the summer of 2024. Provides data on food insecurity, experiences using S-EBT, and S-EBT information and communications, with information specific to rural parents and families.
Author(s): David Metz, Lucia del Puppo, Denny Han
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Geographic and Socioeconomic Landscape of Veterans With Head and Neck Cancer
Explores the geographic and socioeconomic factors that correlate with the higher rates and worse outcomes for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas among veterans compared to civilians. Breaks down data by socioeconomic factors, such as marital status, unemployment, and service connection, among other factors, as well as rurality, travel distance, and drive time.
Author(s): Kristen L. Zayan, Jennifer L. McCoy, Monique Y. Boudreaux-Kelly, et al.
Citation: Head & Neck, 47(10), 2845-2855
Date: 10/2025
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Explores the geographic and socioeconomic factors that correlate with the higher rates and worse outcomes for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas among veterans compared to civilians. Breaks down data by socioeconomic factors, such as marital status, unemployment, and service connection, among other factors, as well as rurality, travel distance, and drive time.
Author(s): Kristen L. Zayan, Jennifer L. McCoy, Monique Y. Boudreaux-Kelly, et al.
Citation: Head & Neck, 47(10), 2845-2855
Date: 10/2025
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The Moderating Effects of Perceived Transportation Access on Health and Social Connectedness for People with Disabilities
Surveys working age adults with disabilities to identify the effect of transportation access on social activity, loneliness, and self-rated health variables. Includes a rural and urban breakdown for survey respondents.
Author(s): Aaron Beuoy, Jean P. Hall, Noelle K. Kurth, Kelsey S. Goddard
Citation: Journal of Transport & Health, 44
Date: 10/2025
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Surveys working age adults with disabilities to identify the effect of transportation access on social activity, loneliness, and self-rated health variables. Includes a rural and urban breakdown for survey respondents.
Author(s): Aaron Beuoy, Jean P. Hall, Noelle K. Kurth, Kelsey S. Goddard
Citation: Journal of Transport & Health, 44
Date: 10/2025
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Implementing a Mobile Clinic for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in an Urban and Rural Context
Highlights a study on the efficacy of the mobile clinic model at providing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment in rural and urban areas. Compares and evaluates mobile OUD treatment programs in Pittsburgh, PA and rural Robeson County, NC. Evaluates programs on the basis of community engagement, cost, and partnerships with local pharmacies, among other measures.
Author(s): Orrin D. Ware, Divya Venkat, Robyn Jordan, et al.
Citation: Substance Use & Addiction Journal, 46(4), 799–805
Date: 10/2025
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Highlights a study on the efficacy of the mobile clinic model at providing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment in rural and urban areas. Compares and evaluates mobile OUD treatment programs in Pittsburgh, PA and rural Robeson County, NC. Evaluates programs on the basis of community engagement, cost, and partnerships with local pharmacies, among other measures.
Author(s): Orrin D. Ware, Divya Venkat, Robyn Jordan, et al.
Citation: Substance Use & Addiction Journal, 46(4), 799–805
Date: 10/2025
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A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Tobacco 21 Policies and Youth Tobacco Use: Implications for Future Policy Research
Examines the impact of Tobacco 21 (T21) policies that raise the sales age of tobacco to 21 on youth smoking. Utilizes 24 completed studies to analyze T21 regulations on smoking behaviors of respondents aged 11 to 20. Discusses T21 impacts in rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Danyi Li, Shiyou Wu, Steve Sussman, Mary Ann Pentz
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health - Americas, 50, 101208
Date: 10/2025
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Examines the impact of Tobacco 21 (T21) policies that raise the sales age of tobacco to 21 on youth smoking. Utilizes 24 completed studies to analyze T21 regulations on smoking behaviors of respondents aged 11 to 20. Discusses T21 impacts in rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Danyi Li, Shiyou Wu, Steve Sussman, Mary Ann Pentz
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health - Americas, 50, 101208
Date: 10/2025
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New York State's Paid Family Leave Improved Postpartum Health Care among Women with Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy
Assesses the impact of a state paid family leave law on postpartum healthcare utilization among 312,470 women with hypertensive disorders. Includes rural and urban break down by hypertension status of study participants, among other demographic and health characteristics.
Author(s): Donglan Zhang, Jun Soo Lee, Elena V. Kuklina, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(10)
Date: 09/2025
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Assesses the impact of a state paid family leave law on postpartum healthcare utilization among 312,470 women with hypertensive disorders. Includes rural and urban break down by hypertension status of study participants, among other demographic and health characteristics.
Author(s): Donglan Zhang, Jun Soo Lee, Elena V. Kuklina, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(10)
Date: 09/2025
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Unfairness Toward Rural Beneficiaries in Medicare's Hierarchical Conditions Categories Score
Evaluates the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) to determine its usefulness in accurately predicting risk for rural and urban patients. Assesses rural and urban risk by mortality rates and compares findings with HCC's measure of spending to identify risk. Discusses implications of findings related to reimbursement rates, healthcare access, social determinants of health, and Medicare Advantage enrollment. Offers potential solutions to address study findings.
Author(s): Ravi B. Parikh, Kristin A. Linn, Junning Liang, et al
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(9)
Date: 09/2025
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Evaluates the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) to determine its usefulness in accurately predicting risk for rural and urban patients. Assesses rural and urban risk by mortality rates and compares findings with HCC's measure of spending to identify risk. Discusses implications of findings related to reimbursement rates, healthcare access, social determinants of health, and Medicare Advantage enrollment. Offers potential solutions to address study findings.
Author(s): Ravi B. Parikh, Kristin A. Linn, Junning Liang, et al
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(9)
Date: 09/2025
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Does Caregiver Well-Being Differ by Rurality and State Policy Environment? Identifying a Well-Being Typology for Rural, Suburban, and Urban Caregivers
Results of a study of informal caregiver well-being, exploring ways in which geographic location, individual circumstances, and state-level policies can impact a caregiver's health, comfort, and happiness. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by rural, suburban, and urban areas.
Author(s): Elena Maria Pojman, Florence Becot, Zuzana Bednarik, Carrie Henning-Smith
Citation: Rural Sociology, 90(3), e70015
Date: 09/2025
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Results of a study of informal caregiver well-being, exploring ways in which geographic location, individual circumstances, and state-level policies can impact a caregiver's health, comfort, and happiness. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by rural, suburban, and urban areas.
Author(s): Elena Maria Pojman, Florence Becot, Zuzana Bednarik, Carrie Henning-Smith
Citation: Rural Sociology, 90(3), e70015
Date: 09/2025
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Assessing Populations with Access to National Cancer Institute-Funded Sites Using Local Distance-Based Service Areas
Examines variations in travel distance to sites funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) demographic group. Includes data on access to NCI-funded cancer care and participation in clinical trials by rurality, income level, region, and more.
Author(s): Sharon P. Shriver, Liora Sahar, Vanhvilai L. Douangchai Wills, Devon V. Adams, Mark E. Fleury
Citation: Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, 9(1), e218
Date: 09/2025
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Examines variations in travel distance to sites funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) demographic group. Includes data on access to NCI-funded cancer care and participation in clinical trials by rurality, income level, region, and more.
Author(s): Sharon P. Shriver, Liora Sahar, Vanhvilai L. Douangchai Wills, Devon V. Adams, Mark E. Fleury
Citation: Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, 9(1), e218
Date: 09/2025
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