Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health Disparities – News

News stories from the past 60 days.

Nov 24, 2023 - Highlights disparities in cost of health insurance for rural and urban residents. Discusses contributors to the disparity such as rural healthcare reimbursement rates, patient volume, employment benefits, and age.
Source: Nevada Current
Nov 20, 2023 - Highlights research exploring recent trends in distance to dialysis treatment for rural and urban residents. Discusses policy measures that have improved access to dialysis for rural residents over time, particularly for rural African Americans, as well as barriers to care that remain.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Nov 6, 2023 - Describes a preliminary study examining prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in transgender and cisgender individuals in select urban and rural areas of West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. Found that rural transgender residents are more at risk for cardiovascular disease, particularly transgender males. The study will be presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Session 2023.
Source: American Heart Association Newsroom
Oct 31, 2023 - Federal funding through the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Rural Health aims to address the digital divide for farmworkers in the state. Discusses the role of internet access in improving health outcomes as well as health disparities for agricultural workers both in North Carolina and nationally.
Source: North Carolina Health News
Oct 23, 2023 - Summarizes a presentation on research finding disparities in some hospital-related outcomes for Black and rural patients. Rural residents are more likely to get infections and Black rural patients are at the highest risk for ICU admission and death. Notes that further research is needed to better understand these disparities.
Source: Healio
Oct 20, 2023 - Highlights priorities for the Health Disparities in Rural Areas Task Force in Louisiana such as sickle cell disease healthcare access, broadband access, and shortages for mental health and maternal health workforce.
Source: NOLA.com
Oct 15, 2023 - Explores the lack of obstetric units in Alabama and nationally in rural communities. Discusses the distances pregnant women have to travel to receive care and highlights maternity care deserts in Alabama and in rural areas nationally.
Source: NBC News
Oct 13, 2023 - Highlights disparities in waste water and sanitation for Black communities in rural AL. Discusses how a lack of municipal sewage treatment facilities and the prevalence of old, broken, and leaking septic systems has created a health issue for rural Black residents of Lowndes County.
Source: NPR

Last Updated: 11/24/2023