Chronic Disease in Rural America – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Chronic Disease in Rural America.
Chronic Health Conditions and Health Care Affordability Issues among U.S. Rural and Urban Adults
Analyzes associations between chronic health conditions and likelihood of experiencing healthcare affordability issues among rural and urban populations, utilizing 2022 National Health Interview Survey data. Examines rural and urban prevalence of individual chronic conditions, chronic condition multimorbidity, problems paying medical bills, and inability to pay medical bills.
Author(s): Ingrid Jacobson, Alexis Swendener, Hannah MacDougall, Carrie Henning-Smith
Citation: Journal of Multimorbidity and Comorbidity, 15
Date: 11/2025
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Analyzes associations between chronic health conditions and likelihood of experiencing healthcare affordability issues among rural and urban populations, utilizing 2022 National Health Interview Survey data. Examines rural and urban prevalence of individual chronic conditions, chronic condition multimorbidity, problems paying medical bills, and inability to pay medical bills.
Author(s): Ingrid Jacobson, Alexis Swendener, Hannah MacDougall, Carrie Henning-Smith
Citation: Journal of Multimorbidity and Comorbidity, 15
Date: 11/2025
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Chronic Pain Prevalence and Trends in Urban, Suburban, and Rural Areas among American Adults Aged 55+, 1998–2022
Compares the prevalence of chronic pain and associated trends in rural, suburban, and urban areas among adults aged 55 and older, utilizing 1998-2022 Health and Retirement Study data.
Author(s): Yulin Yang, Feinuo Sun, Zachary Zimmer, et al.
Citation: Social Science & Medicine, 385, 118625
Date: 11/2025
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Compares the prevalence of chronic pain and associated trends in rural, suburban, and urban areas among adults aged 55 and older, utilizing 1998-2022 Health and Retirement Study data.
Author(s): Yulin Yang, Feinuo Sun, Zachary Zimmer, et al.
Citation: Social Science & Medicine, 385, 118625
Date: 11/2025
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Geographic Differences in Obesogenic Behaviors and Overweight and Obesity Among Children and Adolescents
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.
Author(s): Elizabeth Crouch, Nicholas Yell, Emma Boswell, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22
Date: 10/2025
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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.
Author(s): Elizabeth Crouch, Nicholas Yell, Emma Boswell, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22
Date: 10/2025
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Rural/Urban Disparities in the Availability of Diabetes Prevention Programs in US Hospitals
Examines access to Diabetes Prevention Programs (DPPs) by geographic and socioeconomic variables. Analyzes DPPs in 3,204 general medical hospitals according to sociodemographic variables such as food environment, insurance rates, income, and more, as well as hospital characteristics, such as ownership type, geographic region, and county location of metro, micro, or noncore.
Author(s): Allyson Hughes, Shyamkumar Sriram, Berkeley Franz, Cory Cronin
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 16
Date: 09/2025
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Examines access to Diabetes Prevention Programs (DPPs) by geographic and socioeconomic variables. Analyzes DPPs in 3,204 general medical hospitals according to sociodemographic variables such as food environment, insurance rates, income, and more, as well as hospital characteristics, such as ownership type, geographic region, and county location of metro, micro, or noncore.
Author(s): Allyson Hughes, Shyamkumar Sriram, Berkeley Franz, Cory Cronin
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 16
Date: 09/2025
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Examining the Burden of Chronic Disease and Low SES to Identify High-Need Rural Counties
Analyzes the geographic and sociodemographic profile of rural, high-need counties in the United States. Examines chronic disease prevalence, socioeconomic status, and access to healthcare facilities by county, with additional breakdowns by demographic characteristics of low-, moderate-, and high-need counties.
Author(s): Gabriel A. Benavidez, Emma Boswell, Peiyin Hung, Elizabeth Crouch
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, 31(5), 691-699
Date: 09/2025
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Analyzes the geographic and sociodemographic profile of rural, high-need counties in the United States. Examines chronic disease prevalence, socioeconomic status, and access to healthcare facilities by county, with additional breakdowns by demographic characteristics of low-, moderate-, and high-need counties.
Author(s): Gabriel A. Benavidez, Emma Boswell, Peiyin Hung, Elizabeth Crouch
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, 31(5), 691-699
Date: 09/2025
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Fast Facts: Rates of Chronic Conditions Consistently Higher Among Adults in Rural Areas
Compares the prevalence of chronic health conditions and associated risk factors in rural and urban areas, utilizing 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. Includes data on health conditions including obesity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and depression, among others. Includes state-by-state rural health data for select conditions.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: America's Health Rankings
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Compares the prevalence of chronic health conditions and associated risk factors in rural and urban areas, utilizing 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. Includes data on health conditions including obesity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and depression, among others. Includes state-by-state rural health data for select conditions.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: America's Health Rankings
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NCHS Rapid Surveys System: GLP-1 Medication Access and Use
Interactive data showing access to and use of GLP-1 medications. Includes data breakdown by prescriber and various patient characteristics including urbanicity. Data gathered by the National Center for Health Statistics in July and August 2025.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Interactive data showing access to and use of GLP-1 medications. Includes data breakdown by prescriber and various patient characteristics including urbanicity. Data gathered by the National Center for Health Statistics in July and August 2025.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Disparities in Timely Access to Certified Stroke Care Among US Census Tracts, by Prevalence of Health Risk Factors
Examines census tract-level demographic and health characteristics associated with drive times of greater than 60 minutes from certified stroke care or advanced stroke care in the contiguous United States. Highlights rural access disparities and discusses implications for health practice to improve stroke care access in underserved areas.
Author(s): Linda Schieb, Joshua Tootoo, Melissa Fiffer, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, 240429
Date: 07/2025
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Examines census tract-level demographic and health characteristics associated with drive times of greater than 60 minutes from certified stroke care or advanced stroke care in the contiguous United States. Highlights rural access disparities and discusses implications for health practice to improve stroke care access in underserved areas.
Author(s): Linda Schieb, Joshua Tootoo, Melissa Fiffer, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, 240429
Date: 07/2025
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Lifespan Exposures to Rural-Urban Conditions and Later-Life Cognitive Function
Examines associations between rural or urban residence during childhood and adulthood and cognitive outcomes, including mild cognitive impairment and dementia, among older adults, utilizing 2016 Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) data of 3496 individuals aged 65 years or older.
Author(s): Lingzhi Chu, Yingyan Wu, Heidi Karjalainen, Olivia E Atherton
Citation: Alzheimer's & Dementia, 21(6), e70267
Date: 06/2025
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Examines associations between rural or urban residence during childhood and adulthood and cognitive outcomes, including mild cognitive impairment and dementia, among older adults, utilizing 2016 Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) data of 3496 individuals aged 65 years or older.
Author(s): Lingzhi Chu, Yingyan Wu, Heidi Karjalainen, Olivia E Atherton
Citation: Alzheimer's & Dementia, 21(6), e70267
Date: 06/2025
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Development of Chronic Pain and High-Impact Chronic Pain Across the US Rural–Urban Continuum, 2019–2020
Examines the prevalence of chronic pain across large central metro, large fringe metro, medium and small metro, and nonmetropolitan locations in the United States. Utilizes 2019–2020 National Health Interview Survey Longitudinal Cohort (NHIS-LC) data to analyze the severity of pain by demographic variables, region, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Feinuo Sun, Yulin Yang, Richard L. Nahin
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 05/2025
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Examines the prevalence of chronic pain across large central metro, large fringe metro, medium and small metro, and nonmetropolitan locations in the United States. Utilizes 2019–2020 National Health Interview Survey Longitudinal Cohort (NHIS-LC) data to analyze the severity of pain by demographic variables, region, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Feinuo Sun, Yulin Yang, Richard L. Nahin
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 05/2025
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