Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Chronic Disease in Rural America – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Chronic Disease in Rural America.

Temporal Trends in Substance Use and Cardiovascular Disease–Related Mortality in the United States
Analyzes 636,572 death certificates to identify trends for both substance use and cardiovascular disease-related mortality between 1999 and 2019. Breaks down data by rurality, gender, race and ethnicity, type of substance use, and more. Includes state-level comparisons.
Author(s): Abdul Mannan Khan Minhas, Jakrin Kewcharoen, Michael E. Hall, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Heart Association 13(2)
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
view details
Telemedicine Use and Decrements to Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension quality of care as associated with telemedicine use during the COVID-19 pre-pandemic (March 13, 2019 to December 31, 2019) and pandemic (March 13, 2020 to December 31, 2020) periods. Examines variables such as HbA1c monitoring and control, blood pressure monitoring and control, and telemedicine use. Presents data according to patient demographic information including age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, insurance type, health conditions, and metropolitan, micropolitan, small town, or rural residence.
Author(s): Hector P. Rodriguez, Elizabeth Ciemins, Karl Rubio, et al.
Citation: BMC Digital Health, 2, 2
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
view details
Modeling Early Detection and Geographic Variation in Health System Capacity for Alzheimer's Disease–Modifying Therapies
Examines the impact of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) to slow the progression of early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the availability of DMTs across the U.S. Discusses wait times for DMTs in rural versus urban areas and provides U.S. maps showing demographic and healthcare workforce supply data by county.
Author(s): Jodi L. Liu, Lawrence Baker, Annie Chen, Jessie Wang, Federico Girosi
Date: 2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
view details
National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease: 2023 Update
Action plan outlining 6 goals for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to address the challenges facing people with Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD) and their families and to minimize the burden of AD/ADRD. Includes action items related to AD/ADRD treatment and care quality, public awareness and engagement, data tracking, and collaboration to support underserved populations, including rural and tribal communities.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
view details
Trends in the Prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Among Adults Aged ≥18 Years — United States, 2011–2021
Reports on trends and differences in self-reported physician-diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among U.S. adults 18 years of age and older. Includes data for metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas. Includes discussion of COPD-related needs and challenges in rural areas.
Author(s): Yong Liu, Susan A. Carlson, Kathleen B. Watson, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 72(46), 1250-1256
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
Rural Health: Addressing Barriers to Care
An infographic that presents data on rural versus urban health disparities and barriers to healthcare in rural America. Includes interactive data on percentage of rural residents by state, rural life expectancy and chronic health conditions, hospital closures and lack of access to healthcare, rural workforce shortages, and more. Provides strategies to improve rural access to healthcare.
Author(s): Carrie Cochran-McClain
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: National Institute for Health Care Management, National Rural Health Association
view details
The Role of Comorbidities, Medications, and Social Determinants of Health in Understanding Urban-Rural Outcome Differences among Patients with Heart Failure
Analyzes health outcomes for patients with heart failure and mitigating factors such as comorbidities, guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT), and social determinants of health (SDOH) in rural versus urban areas. Utilizes data from Medicare beneficiaries who had a heart failure hospitalization between 2008 to 2017 to observe mortality rates within 30 days or 1 year, hospital readmission rates, and emergency room (ER) admissions. Discusses health outcome disparities that correlate to patient location.
Author(s): Emily P. Zeitler, Joanna Joly, Christopher G. Leggett, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
view details
Factors Associated with Higher Hemoglobin A1c and Type 2 Diabetes-related Costs: Secondary Data Analysis of Adults 18 to 64 in Texas with Commercial Insurance
Examines factors associated with hemoglobin A1c values and diabetes-related costs in Texas residents with type 2 diabetes. Analyzes 2018-2019 data from 34,992 individuals with type 2 diabetes according to age, sex, comorbidities, health indicators, and metro versus nonmetro location.
Author(s): Marcia G. Ory ,Gang Han,Sagar N. Jani, et al.
Citation: PLoS One, 18(9)
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
view details
Guideline-Discordant Inhaler Regimens after COPD Hospitalization: Associations with Rurality, Drive Time to Care, and Fragmented Care – a United States Cohort Study
Examines the factors related to guideline-discordant inhaler regimens following chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) hospitalization. Analyzes 33,785 patient inhaler prescriptions between 2017-2020 according to rurality, drive time to pulmonary specialty care, and fragmented care.
Author(s): Arianne K. Baldomero, Ken M. Kunisaki, Chris H. Wendt, et al.
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health - Americas, 26
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
view details
Racial Disparities in Obesity‐Related Cardiovascular Mortality in the United States: Temporal Trends From 1999 to 2020
Examines disparities in obesity-related cardiovascular mortality in U.S. citizens from 1999 to 2020. Utilizes the Multiple Cause of Death database to analyze mortality trends by race, sex, age, and rural versus urban residence.
Author(s): Zahra Raisi‐Estabragh, Ofer Kobo, Jennifer H. Mieres, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Heart Association, 12(18)
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
view details

Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:


Last Updated: 1/30/2024