Rural Health Disparities – Resources

Area Deprivation Is Higher among Rural Counties — but Not All Rural Counties Are Deprived
Examines the role of residence and community deprivation on potentially avoidable hospitalizations among children. Introduces the Area Deprivation Index, applies the index to counties across the United States, and analyzes rates of potentially avoidable hospitalizations by urban and rural locations across 9 states. (Part 1 of a 2-part series.)
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Author(s): Nathan Hale, Janice C. Probst, Ashley Robertson
Date: 08/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Unequal Lives: The State of Black Women and Families in the Rural South
Analyzes the health and well-being of low-income Black women in nine rural counties across Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Identifies barriers to success and economic security, including poverty, low educational attainment, and inadequate access to public infrastructure, healthcare, and more. Includes statistics and demographics for each of the states and counties included in the study.
Date: 07/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Southern Rural Black Women's Initiative
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Differences in Stroke Mortality Among Adults Aged 45 and Over: United States, 2010-2013
Provides data on stroke mortality among adults 45 and over by age, race/ethnicity, income, urban-rural residence, and residence inside or outside the Stroke Belt. Figure 4 shows stroke rates for metropolitan and nonmetro counties.
Author(s): Deborah D. Ingram, Jessica A. Montresor-Lopez
Date: 07/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Disparities in Colorectal Cancer Treatment Delay Within Appalachia – The Role of For-Profit Hospitals
Discusses the timeliness of colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment in rural hospitals of the Appalachian regions of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Study uses data from the 2006-2008 Central Cancer Registry (CCR) as well as Medicare claims to identify delays between diagnosis and treatment in healthcare facilities with various funding models.
Author(s): Eric E. Seiber, Fabian Camacho, Muhammad Fazal Zeeshan, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 31(4), 382-391
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
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The Health and Well-Being of Children in Rural Areas: A Portrait of the Nation 2011–2012
Describes data from the National Survey of Children's Health demonstrating the health and well-being of children, as well as the family environment and the characteristics of the community that affect rural children and their families.
Date: 04/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Maternal and Child Health Bureau
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Child Health USA 2014
Collection of data on the physical, mental, and emotional health of the Nation's children. Addresses poverty, education, child care, and health service utilization and financing. Includes selected data by rural and urban residence.
Date: 03/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Maternal and Child Health Bureau
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Reducing Cancer Screening Disparities in Medicare Beneficiaries Through Cancer Patient Navigation
Features a study of an intervention to counter the cancer screening disparities of Native Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Islander Medicare beneficiaries in rural Hawaii. Breaks down data by race, age, and comorbidity, among other factors.
Author(s): Kathryn L. Braun, William L. Thomas Jr, Jermy‐Leigh B. Domingo, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 63(2)
Date: 02/2015
Type: Document
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QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged ≥45 Years with Selected Diagnosed Chronic Conditions, by Number of Conditions and Urban/Rural Classification - National Health Interview Survey, 2013
Chart showing the percentage of adults 45 and older with zero, one, or two or more chronic conditions, for rural areas, urban areas, and the U.S. overall.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 63(53), 1247
Date: 01/2015
Type: Chart/Graph
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New England Regional Health Equity Profile & Call to Action
Report of the New England Regional Health Equity Council, identifying disparities in health among racial, ethnic, and disability populations and suggesting pathways for health equity. Includes statistics broken down by race/ethnicity, disability status, gender, age, and urban/rural status.
Author(s): C.E. Drum, K.G. Phillips, K. Chiu
Date: 2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities, New England Regional Health Equity Council
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Rural Healthy People 2020: A Companion Document to Healthy People 2020, Volume 1
Provides a rural focus for the Healthy People 2020 priorities. Includes overviews of the top 10 rural health priority areas identified by rural stakeholders. (Volume 2 discusses priorities 11-20.) Topics addressed include: health insurance, primary care, emergency services, nutrition and weight status, diabetes, mental health, substance abuse, heart disease and stroke, physical activity, older adults, maternal and child health, and tobacco use. Each overview includes reviews of the relevant literature and models that rural communities can use to address the issues. Document is available for free download, after providing brief information about intended use.
Author(s): Jane N. Bolin, Gail Bellamy, Alva O. Ferdinand, Bita Kash, Janet W. Helduser
Date: 2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
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