Rural Health Disparities resources via the Rural Health Information Hub

Resource: Traffic Safety Facts, 2024 Data: Rural/Urban Traffic Fatalities

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 09:07:46 -0500

Reports 2024 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data describing fatal motor vehicle crashes. Provides rural versus urban statistics for fatal motor vehicle crashes by light condition, roadway departure and intersection, age group, speeding, alcohol use, seat belt use, and rollover crashes. Includes statistics on ratio of rural to urban fatality rates per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, by state, as of 2024. -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Resource: Rural-Urban Differences in Long-Term Mortality and Readmission Following COVID-19 Hospitalization, 2020 to 2023

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:26:45 -0500

Analyzes rural-urban disparities in mortality and hospital readmission among 9,325 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 from March 2020 to July 2022, with follow-up data through May 2023. Includes data on demographic and clinical factors associated with rural dwelling.

Resource: Discharge Disposition for Home Health Care Patients with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia: The Role of Living Arrangements and Rural Living

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:18:44 -0500

Examines rural versus urban differences in living arrangements and their impact on discharge disposition of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD). Analyzes 531,269 Medicare fee-for-service patient records with data breakdowns for living arrangement, such as living alone, living at home with others, or living in a congregate setting, as well as sociodemographic and health condition variables. Discusses rural versus urban disparities when a patient discharges to their community or an institution and the impact of social support on ADRD patients.

Resource: Rural Health Disadvantages in the United States: Evidence from Nationally Representative Data

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 09:33:00 -0500

Describes rural and urban mortality rate disparities since the 1990s and then examines National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 1999, 2000, 2017, and 2020 to identify both individual and place-based factors associated with health outcomes within large metropolitan, small/medium metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan areas. Discusses disparities in the working adult population and how county characteristics contribute to rural and urban gaps.

Resource: Early Estimates of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities and Fatality Rate by Sub-Categories in 2025

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 08:26:51 -0500

Presents projections of traffic fatalities and the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2025. Includes data for rural versus urban roads, among other measures. Compares 2024 fatality data to 2025 rates by month for a number of indicators, including rural areas. -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Event: 2027 32nd NRHA Health Access Conference

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 16:46:16 -0500

New Orleans LA
May 17, 2027 -- National Rural Health Association

Resource: Geographic Differences in Obesogenic Behaviors and Overweight and Obesity Among Children and Adolescents

Mon, 04 May 2026 11:31:14 -0500

Compares the prevalence of obesity and overweight and examines how obesogenic factors such as food security, physical activity, sleep time, and screen time vary by rural or urban dwelling among children aged 10 to 17 years. Uses 2021-2022 National Survey of Children's Health data.

Resource: 2024 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:44:04 -0500

Provides a comprehensive summary and data analysis of healthcare quality and access in the U.S. Addresses access to healthcare, care affordability, healthy living, effective treatment, person-centered care, care coordination, and more. -- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Resource: Prevalence of Selected Chronic Conditions Among Adults Age 45 and Older, by Age and Urbanization Level: United States, 2024

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:26:44 -0500

Provides data on the prevalence of heart disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and stroke among adults age 45 and older by level of rurality, using data from the 2024 National Health Interview Survey. -- National Center for Health Statistics

Resource: Geographic and Sociodemographic Patterns in Prevalence of Diagnosed Diabetes, US, 2021–2024

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:15:37 -0500

Analyzes the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes in rural and urban populations using 2021-2024 NHIS data. Includes rural-urban data comparisons by sociodemographic group, including sex, age, body mass index, race and ethnicity, income level, food security status, and more.

Resource: Rural-Urban Trends in Pediatric Emergency Department Visits for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions from 2016-2019

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 09:56:34 -0500

Examines trends in pediatric emergency department visits for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs), including gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection, asthma, and diabetes, and discusses the role of primary care access in reducing ACSC-related hospitalizations. Provides data breakdowns by level of rurality and year, race and ethnicity, and health condition using 2016-2019 State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) data. -- Southwest Rural Health Research Center

Resource: Who is Benefiting from the Dramatic Decline in U.S. Cancer Mortality? Place-Based Evidence of Disparities in Rates of Improvement

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:39:32 -0500

Analyzes how improvements in cancer mortality between 1991 and 2019 varied by geography, using CDC WONDER data. Includes data comparisons by U.S. region, income level, and rurality at the county level.

Resource: Rural-Urban Trends in the Burden of Diabetes Among U.S. Adults

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:38:56 -0500

Describes the national incidence and prevalence of diabetes between 2021-2023 using data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Presents data on diabetes-related mortality between 2018-2023 from the CDC WONDER platform. Compares the incidence, prevalence, and mortality data across large metro, small metro, and nonmetro counties. Highlights areas of the country with significantly higher and lower diabetes-related mortality rates. -- University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center

Resource: Advancing Diagnostic Excellence in Rural Areas: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 10:27:29 -0600

Summarizes proceedings from an October 2025 workshop discussing current diagnostic challenges in rural areas and identifying strategies for improvement. Covers topics including access to diagnosis, diagnosis-related health disparities, new technologies and innovations, workforce training, education, and support, and other innovations in diagnosis and patient-centered care. -- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Resource: Access to Health Care by Rurality and Disability Status

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 10:21:50 -0600

Report explores barriers to access to care by rurality and disability status. Highlights the compounding barriers to access for rural people with disabilities. Discusses barriers due to financial reasons, lack of transportation, and workforce shortages, among other factors. -- University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center

Resource: Geographic and Demographic Differences in Studies of the Five Leading Causes of Death in the U.S.: Evidence from Peer-Reviewed Literature

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 08:40:42 -0600

Literature review examining the extent to which studies on mortality related to heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke included individual measures of rurality, race, and ethnicity, and analyzes the findings of these studies. Discusses differences in research on a condition-by-condition basis and suggests directions for future health disparities research. -- Southwest Rural Health Research Center

Resource: Greater Physician Supply Associated with Lower Mortality in Rural Counties: A 23-Year County-Level Longitudinal Observational Study

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 11:06:18 -0500

Examines the relationship between increasing the primary care physician supply in rural areas and corresponding mortality rates. Provides data from a study conducted between 1992-2014 and analyzes rural versus urban trends in mortality rates and physician supply. Discusses rural healthcare practitioner workforce needs, rural versus urban healthcare disparities, and access to care.

Resource: Trends in Firearm Death among Middle and High-School Aged Rural and Urban Adolescents from 2001 to 2022

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 15:33:47 -0500

Examines changes over time in firearm mortality among middle and high school-aged adolescents in metropolitan and non-metropolitan settings, utilizing 2001-2022 CDC Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) data. Includes breakdowns of firearm-related homicides, suicides, and unintentional deaths by year, with comparisons to other leading non-firearm related causes of death.

Resource: Trends and Differences in Infant Mortality Rates in Rural and Metropolitan Counties in the United States, 2021-2023

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 08:38:15 -0500

Data brief offering mortality rates for infants for 3 levels of urbanization. Includes trends between 2014 and 2023 as well as analysis of data from 2021 to 2023 by various demographic factors. -- National Center for Health Statistics

Resource: Rural Health Disparities: Contemporary Solutions for Persistent Rural Public Health Challenges

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 09:08:20 -0500

Special issue of Preventing Chronic Disease featuring articles that examine rural health disparities and discuss rural public health strategies to address cancer, diabetes, and other chronic conditions, and to promote physical activity.

Resource: Rural and Urban Differences in Suicide in the United States, 2018-2021

Wed, 07 May 2025 13:07:37 -0500

Highlights the rates of suicide across the U.S. from 2018-2021 in rural and urban areas. Discusses some of the geographic and demographic characteristics that correlate with higher rates of suicide. Breaks down data by year, demographics, Census and HHS regions, and rural versus urban location. Makes policy recommendations based on the report's findings. -- ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center

Resource: Rising Rural Mortality Rates From Natural Causes for Working-Age Adults Lead to Widening Gap With Urban Counterparts

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 10:01:32 -0500

Reports on disparities in natural cause mortality rates between rural and urban working age adults. Explores disparities by various demographic factors and underlying causes. -- USDA Economic Research Service

Resource: Rural Health Disparities and Differences in Definitions of Rurality

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 11:19:01 -0600

Examines health disparities and differences in healthcare characteristics between rural and nonrural counties using data from the 2023 County Health Rankings and 2021-2022 Area Health Resources Files. Compares community health and healthcare characteristics by two county-level urban-rural classification systems: Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC) and Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs). Explores the degree to which four county-level classification systems - RUCC, CBSA, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Urban-Rural Classification Scheme for Counties, and Urban Influence Codes (UIC) - agree regarding which counties are designated as rural. -- HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation

Resource: Rural–Urban Disparities in State-Level Diabetes Prevalence Among US Adults, 2021

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 08:55:55 -0600

Analyzes diabetes disparities among rural and urban populations in 41 states in the U.S. Utilizes 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data to examine rural versus urban disparities and odds ratios (OR) for diabetes in different states.

Resource: CMS Office of Minority Health: Health Equity Data Book

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 09:51:32 -0600

Provides data on disparities in participation in Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) programs, including data on demographics of covered individuals, chronic conditions, behavioral health conditions, and social determinants of health. Contains rural data for select programs. -- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Resource: Trends in Death Rates in Urban and Rural Areas: United States, 1999-2019

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 12:29:50 -0600

Examines national trends for age-adjusted death rates in urban and rural areas by sex. Includes data for the 10 leading causes of death in 2019 by urban and rural status. -- National Center for Health Statistics

Resource: Healthy Border 2030: Collaborative Action to Improve the Health and Wellbeing of the United States - Mexico Border Population

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:38:08 -0600

Reports on the prevailing public health issues occurring in U.S.-Mexico border populations. Assesses health data and provides strategic recommendations to promote health, prevent disease, and support population health at the binational, state, and local levels. -- United States-México Border Health Commission

Organization: Center for Advancing Health Equity in Rural and Underserved Communities

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 14:21:31 -0600

Studies and addresses health disparities in rural and underserved communities through an academic-community partnership between Penn State College of Medicine and Asian Health Coalition (AHC). Features initiatives focused on cancer screening and prevention, chronic and infectious disease, mental and behavioral health, and precision medicine engagement.

Resource: 2024 Rural-Urban Disparities in Health Care in Medicare

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:23:19 -0600

Examines rural/urban differences in the quality of healthcare received by Medicare beneficiaries in 2023, with breakdowns by race and ethnicity. Describes trends in quality of care for rural and urban residents between 2017 and 2023. -- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Resource: Access to Health Care in Rural America: Current Trends and Key Challenges

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:01:14 -0500

Highlights patterns in insurance coverage and uninsurance rates in rural and urban areas, explores non-financial challenges in accessing care faced by rural residents, and describes disparities in health outcomes between urban and rural areas. Features statistics on number of uninsured rural non-elderly adults by state, in 2010 and 2023. -- HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation