Social Determinants of Health for Rural People – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Social Determinants of Health for Rural People.
Highest U.S. Poverty Rates Are in the South, with over 20 Percent Poor in Its Rural Areas
Bar chart showing rural and urban poverty rates by region for the Northeast, Midwest, South, and West, based on data from the 2014-2018 American Community Survey.
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Bar chart showing rural and urban poverty rates by region for the Northeast, Midwest, South, and West, based on data from the 2014-2018 American Community Survey.
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Many Rural Americans Are Still "Left Behind"
An overview of trends in rural poverty from 1959 through 2016. Discusses how rural and urban poverty are different. Highlights changes in education and employment and data on rural child poverty.
Date: 01/2020
Sponsoring organization: University of Wisconsin–Madison Institute for Research on Poverty
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An overview of trends in rural poverty from 1959 through 2016. Discusses how rural and urban poverty are different. Highlights changes in education and employment and data on rural child poverty.
Date: 01/2020
Sponsoring organization: University of Wisconsin–Madison Institute for Research on Poverty
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Quantification of Neighborhood-Level Social Determinants of Health in the Continental United States
Results of a study examining 71,901 census tracts, to quantify the social determinants of health (SDOH) consisting of advantage, isolation, opportunity, and mixed immigrant cohesion. Features demographic statistics with breakdowns by 7 multidimensional neighborhood typologies, including Rural Affordable. Offers comparisons between SDOH in Chicago and the rest of the continental United States.
Author(s): Marynia Kolak, Jay Bhatt, Yoon Hong Park, Norma A. Padron, Ayrin Molefe
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 3(1)
Date: 01/2020
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Results of a study examining 71,901 census tracts, to quantify the social determinants of health (SDOH) consisting of advantage, isolation, opportunity, and mixed immigrant cohesion. Features demographic statistics with breakdowns by 7 multidimensional neighborhood typologies, including Rural Affordable. Offers comparisons between SDOH in Chicago and the rest of the continental United States.
Author(s): Marynia Kolak, Jay Bhatt, Yoon Hong Park, Norma A. Padron, Ayrin Molefe
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 3(1)
Date: 01/2020
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Water Infrastructure: Technical Assistance and Climate Resilience Planning Could Help Utilities Prepare for Potential Climate Change Impacts
Examines federal technical and financial assistance to drinking and wastewater utilities for enhancing climate resilience. Discusses the needs of small and rural communities and identifies federal resources targeted to these areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2020
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines federal technical and financial assistance to drinking and wastewater utilities for enhancing climate resilience. Discusses the needs of small and rural communities and identifies federal resources targeted to these areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2020
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities for the Health Care System
Examines how social isolation and loneliness affect health and quality of life in adults aged 50 and older, including those living in rural areas. Makes recommendations for clinical settings on screening for negative health impacts related to social isolation and developing interventions to help address this issue.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Committee on the Health and Medical Dimensions of Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults
Date: 2020
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Examines how social isolation and loneliness affect health and quality of life in adults aged 50 and older, including those living in rural areas. Makes recommendations for clinical settings on screening for negative health impacts related to social isolation and developing interventions to help address this issue.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Committee on the Health and Medical Dimensions of Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults
Date: 2020
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Poverty Rates in 2017 Were Highest for Children, Particularly Among Those Living in Rural Areas
Bar chart showing rural and urban poverty rates by age group. Includes data for children under 5 years, all children under 18 years of age, working age adults (18-64 years), and seniors (65 and older).
Date: 11/2019
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Bar chart showing rural and urban poverty rates by age group. Includes data for children under 5 years, all children under 18 years of age, working age adults (18-64 years), and seniors (65 and older).
Date: 11/2019
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Home Equity: A Vision of Housing Security, Health and Opportunity
Provides data demonstrating the interrelationship between housing insecurity and health equity. Examines how policies and racism have impacted housing stability in Colorado's rural, urban, and suburban communities. Looks at the challenges to housing security faced by communities of color, undocumented immigrants, people with disabilities, families with children, low income households, rural communities, and homelessness populations. Suggests housing policies that may impact communities and improve housing security.
Date: 08/2019
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Health Institute
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Provides data demonstrating the interrelationship between housing insecurity and health equity. Examines how policies and racism have impacted housing stability in Colorado's rural, urban, and suburban communities. Looks at the challenges to housing security faced by communities of color, undocumented immigrants, people with disabilities, families with children, low income households, rural communities, and homelessness populations. Suggests housing policies that may impact communities and improve housing security.
Date: 08/2019
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Health Institute
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A Rising Tide: Increasing Rural Local Health Department Capacity to Address the Social Determinants of Health
Describes unique challenges faced by rural local health departments (LHDs), as well as assets such as community connectivity and trusted local institutions. Explores the ways in which partnerships, leadership, community engagement, data and evaluation, and community health improvement planning function as foundational elements in addressing social determinants of health in rural communities.
Author(s): Karla Feeser, Melissa Mayer, Ashley Edmiston
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Describes unique challenges faced by rural local health departments (LHDs), as well as assets such as community connectivity and trusted local institutions. Explores the ways in which partnerships, leadership, community engagement, data and evaluation, and community health improvement planning function as foundational elements in addressing social determinants of health in rural communities.
Author(s): Karla Feeser, Melissa Mayer, Ashley Edmiston
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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The Rural-ness of Social Isolation: Information from Recent Public Health Research
Dr. Carrie Henning-Smith, deputy director of the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center, explains how social isolation and loneliness impact rural Americans, based on information from her team's recent studies.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Dr. Carrie Henning-Smith, deputy director of the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center, explains how social isolation and loneliness impact rural Americans, based on information from her team's recent studies.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Social Isolation and Loneliness: Insights from Rural Clinical Providers and Other Experts
Provides an overview of social isolation and loneliness and the factors, such as limited transportation options, that can contribute to these problems in rural areas. Includes discussion of social risk assessments. Features rural clinicians, researchers, and other experts sharing their perspectives on addressing these concerns.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Provides an overview of social isolation and loneliness and the factors, such as limited transportation options, that can contribute to these problems in rural areas. Includes discussion of social risk assessments. Features rural clinicians, researchers, and other experts sharing their perspectives on addressing these concerns.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
- Educational attainment
- Employment and unemployment
- Environmental health
- Health literacy
- Housing and homelessness
- Income
- Infrastructure
- Poverty
- Social determinants of health
Last Updated: 11/21/2025