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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health Disparities – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Health Disparities.

The Role of Medicare and the Indian Health Service for American Indians and Alaska Natives: Health, Access and Coverage
Examines the health, healthcare access, income, and education disparities that exist within the Native American and Alaskan Native population, as well as the roles of Medicare and the Indian Health Service (IHS) in addressing these disparities.
Author(s): Cristina Boccuti, Christina Swoope, Samantha Artiga
Date: 12/2014
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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The 2014 Update of the Rural-Urban Chartbook
Updates information presented in Health, United States, 2001: With Urban and Rural Health Chartbook. Highlights current trends and disparities across different levels of metro and nonmetropolitan counties, including population characteristics; health-related behaviors and risk factors; mortality rates; healthcare access and use; mental health measures; and other health measures such as teen birth rates, tooth loss, and activity limitations due to chronic disease. Individual data tables are available in an Excel file.
Author(s): Michael Meit, Alana Knudson, Tess Gilbert, et al.
Date: 10/2014
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center
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Leading Health Indicators Infographics
Provides interactive data on 23 Leading Health Indicators (LHIs) from Healthy People 2030, such as health insurance status, violence reduction, health behaviors, mental health, maternal health, food security, substance use, screenings and vaccination, education and employment, oral healthcare use, and more. Users can see health disparity data breakdowns for demographic groups, with select LHIs including metro versus nonmetro comparisons. To access geographic demographic information, choose an LHI category, click "data", and select "geographic location" under "demographic group".
Sponsoring organization: Healthy People
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HDPulse Interventions Portal
Provides access to a collection of evidence-based interventions, study findings, and intervention materials focused on improving minority health and reducing health disparities. Materials can be sorted by demographic, health disparity population group, health conditions studied, community type (rural, suburban, urban, and other), and more.
Sponsoring organization: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
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Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System
Provides information on trends and statistics regarding pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. Includes mortality rates by race/ethnicity, causes, and rural versus urban location.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Health, United States
Presents national trends in health statistics, with data released throughout the year from more than 40 data sources. Covers health status and determinants, healthcare utilization, access, and expenditures. Includes rural data - see the Data Finder and select "Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan" under Population Subgroups.
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Maternal and Infant Health Mapping Tool
Map-based access to county-level data on maternal health, infant health, and health resources. Includes data on pre-pregnancy health status, preterm births, infant mortality, access to prenatal care, availability of providers, health insurance coverage, demographics, and more.
Sponsoring organization: Maternal and Child Health Bureau
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Solutions in Health Analytics for Rural Equity across the Northwest
Highlights rural health disparities in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Presents data on mental and behavioral health, obesity and physical activity, diabetes, tobacco use, oral health, and demographic factors such as housing, education, and health insurance, among others.
Sponsoring organization: Northwest Center for Public Health Practice (NWCPHP)
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Rural-Urban Disparities in Cancer
Provides data and maps reflecting cancer incidence and mortality, comparing rural, nonmetro urban, and metro counties. Explores urban and rural disparities regarding cancer type, access to healthcare for rural residents, risk factors for cancer incidence, and preventative care.
Sponsoring organization: National Cancer Institute
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Life and Health in Rural America
Series of articles based on reports by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation on life and health in rural America.
Sponsoring organizations: NPR, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for: