Rural Health Disparities – Resources

Rural–Urban Disparities in State-Level Diabetes Prevalence Among US Adults, 2021
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.
Author(s): Olga Khavjou, Zohra Tayebali, Pyone Cho, Kristopher Myers, Ping Zhang
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 21
Date: 01/2025
Type: Document
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The Uneven Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Rural and Urban Black, Latino/a, and White Mortality
Examines mortality rates and the corresponding impact of Medicaid expansion on Black, Latino/a, and White populations, broken down by rural versus urban location. Utilizes 2009-2019 data of Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATET) estimates to provide statistical breakdowns and graphic representation of how Medicaid expansion has impacted mortality rates for varying populations.
Author(s): J. Tom Mueller, Regina S. Baker, Matthew M. Brooks
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12859
Date: 2025
Type: Document
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Associations Between COVID-19 Therapies and Outcomes in Rural and Urban America: A Multisite, Temporal Analysis from the Alpha to Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variants
Examines COVID-19 treatment, health outcomes, and mortality disparities in rural and urban areas of the United States. Analyzes 2021-2023 National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) data from 3,018,646 patients to break down COVID-19 disparities according to patient demographics, vaccine status, comorbidities, U.S. Census region, and adverse inpatient events, as well as urban, urban-adjacent, or nonurban-adjacent location.
Author(s): A. Jerrod Anzalone, William H. Beasley, Kimberly Murray, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12857
Date: 2025
Type: Document
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CMS Office of Minority Health: Health Equity Data Book
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.
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Healthy Border 2030: Collaborative Action to Improve the Health and Wellbeing of the United States - Mexico Border Population
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.
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: United States-México Border Health Commission
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Unveiling Socioeconomic Disparities in Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy: A Comprehensive Analysis of Rural and Appalachian Areas in Virginia Utilizing the Multi-Dimensional YOST Index
Examines associations of rurality, Appalachian dwelling, county socioeconomic status (SES), and other demographic factors with smoking behaviors during pregnancy. Utilizes 2009-2020 Virginia Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data.
Author(s): Asal Pilehvari, Ashley Chipoletti, Rebecca Krukowski, Melissa Little
Citation: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 24, 828
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
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Early Estimates of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities and Fatality Rate by Sub-Categories Through June 2024
Presents projections of traffic fatalities and the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled for the first half of 2024. Breaks down data by month, age, sex, and by rural versus urban roads, among other measures. Compares 2023 fatality data to 2024 rates by month for a number of indicators, including rural areas.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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2024 Rural-Urban Disparities in Health Care in Medicare
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.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RAND Corporation
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High-Risk Rural Surgical Patients and Poor Access to Elective Colorectal Cancer Surgery: Insight for Multilevel Intervention for Rural America
Examines factors associated with poor access to elective colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery for rural patients, utilizing 2007-2020 National Inpatient Sample data for 69,212 CRC surgery-related hospitalizations. Breaks down data by race and ethnicity, sex, age, insurance type, region, rural or urban facility, and other demographic, clinical, and facility factors. Discusses access barriers and health disparities experienced by rural populations.
Author(s): Yanick Tadé, Jillian Timperley, Danielle Dilsaver, et al.
Citation: Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 28(11), 1883-1889
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
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Environmental Inequality in Estimated Cancer Risk from Airborne Toxic Exposure across United States Communities from 2011 to 2019
Examines disparities in cancer risk due to airborne toxic exposure at the census tract level, utilizing American Community Survey, NATA, and AirToxScreen data sets. Breaks down cancer risk data in rural, suburban, and urban census tracts by race, educational attainment, and median household income, with year-by-year comparisons for the period 2011-2019.
Author(s): Patrick Hurbain, Matthew J. Strickland, Yan Liu, Dingsheng Li
Citation: Environmental Science & Technology, 58(43), 19115-19127
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
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