Data Sources & Tools Relevant to Rural Health
| Source/Tool | Topics | Ease of Use | Geographic Level of Data | Frequency Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2014
Update of the Rural-Urban Chartbook Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center Individual data tables (Excel) |
Data from many federal sources on the following topics: Demographics Health behaviors and risk factors Mortality rates Healthcare access and use Other health measures |
Printed report Excel spreadsheet |
National Regional 5 levels of urbanization/rurality |
Infrequent. The 2014 edition updates a 2001 report from the CDC. |
|
AGing Integrated Database (AGID): ACL Special
Tabulations
Administration for Community Living |
American Community Survey data on the population 60 and older, covering: Demographics Disability status Employment Income Poverty |
Easy, web-based interface | National State County Rural (2008-2012) |
Annual release based on 5-year ACS estimates |
|
AGing Integrated Database (AGID):
County-Level Population Estimates Data Custom Tables Administration for Community Living |
Population estimates for the population 60 and older by: Age range Gender Race/ethnicity |
Easy, web-based interface | County | Annual |
| American Community Survey
(ACS) U.S. Census Bureau Access via American FactFinder Other Data Tools for accessing ACS data |
Demographic Age and sex Ancestry Disability Commuting to work Education Employment Family/relationships Health insurance Income and earnings Language Origins Population change Poverty Race and ethnicity Veterans Housing - financial and physical characteristics |
A variety of tools are available, for varying levels of expertise and purpose | National State County Community Rural-specific Public Use Microdata Area ZIP Code Tabulation Area Full list of geographic areas |
Data estimates are released every year 1-year estimates for areas with population of 65,000 or more 5-year estimates for areas with population below 65,000 |
| American
FactFinder U.S. Census Bureau |
Centralized access to a variety of U.S. Census Bureau data | Both guided and advanced search options are available | National State County Community Rural-specific Geographic Comparison Tables |
Ongoing, as new U.S. Census Bureau data is available |
| American
FactFinder:
Community Facts U.S. Census Bureau |
Population Age Business and industry Education Housing Income Origins and language Poverty Veterans |
Easy, web-based interface | National State County Community ZIP code |
Varies. Uses the latest U.S. Census Bureau data available for the selected geography. |
| Area Health Resources Files (AHRF) Health Resources and Services Administration Includes the Health Resources Comparison Tool, for county comparisons |
Data from many sources on the following topics: Healthcare facilities Healthcare utilization Healthcare workforce Health professions training Demographics Social determinants of health Rural classifications |
Challenging, data available as a download file or as a Microsoft Access database | National State County |
County AHRF is updated annually |
| Atlas
of Rural and Small-Town America Economic Research Service (ERS) US Department of Agriculture |
Population change overall and by demographic group ACS data BLS data 60 socioeconomic indicators |
Easy, web-based interface | County | Ongoing, as new data is available |
| BEA Regional Data Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Access BEA Regional Data Tables Access BEA Regional Data Maps Access per capita income via BEARFACTS Local Area (County) Fact Sheets |
Employment Per capita income Income by industry (including healthcare) |
Somewhat complex and powerful web-based tool and county-level customizable mapping. Easy printable fact sheets for income data |
State County |
Annual |
| Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
(BRFSS) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention For state-level data access options, see State BRFSS Contacts |
Health behaviors of adults, including: Chronic diseases and conditions Health-risk behaviors Use of preventive health services |
Accessing BRFSS county-level data directly requires statistical expertise CDC web-based tools do not provide county-level details. Public release data not available for any county with fewer than 10,000 residents. Easier-to-use tools that include BRFSS data:
|
National State County |
Annual |
| CDC Wonder Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
Public health Environment Births Mortality |
A complex but fairly user-friendly web-based system that offers many options to narrow results | National State County (births) Rural (mortality) |
Annual |
| CMS Data Navigator Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services |
A range of CMS programs, including: Medicaid Medicare CHIP Health Insurance Marketplace Demonstrations |
Easy-to-use interface for identifying data sources and reports. Some sources require statistical expertise. |
National Regional State County Hospital Referral Region |
Varies |
| Community Commons Maps &
Data Free, but registration required Access Community Commons County Profiles |
Data from a wide range of sources on topics that include: Demographics Social and economic factors Health behaviors |
Easy access county profiles Somewhat complex but powerful mapping system | Varies by data source: State County Census Tract School District Many more |
Ongoing |
| Community Health Status Indicators
(CHSI) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
Data from many sources on the following topics: Health outcomes Healthcare access and quality Health behaviors Social factors Physical environment |
Easy-to-use interface Comparisons to peer counties |
County | |
| County Health Rankings &
Roadmaps Robert Wood Johnson Foundation |
Compiles and standardizes data from a variety of national sources on these
topics: Health factors Health behaviors Clinical Care Social and economic factors Physical environment Health outcomes Length of life Quality of life |
Easy, web-based interface Can download data as Excel file |
County (Some data may not be available for all counties) |
Annual |
| Current Population Survey U.S. Census Bureau & Bureau of Labor Statistics Access via IPUMS-CPS Access via Census DataFerrett or DataFerrett FTP |
Labor force statistics, including: Unemployment rate Earnings Demographics Health insurance Disability status |
Web-based tools are complex and require expertise to use effectively. To access rural-specific data via IPUMS-CPS, select "Metro" from the Geographic Variables. For guidance in using this tool, see the IPUMS-CPS Frequently Asked Questions. |
State County Rural |
Monthly (March data serves as national benchmark for various indicators) |
| The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice |
Compiles Medicare data on: Enrollee demographics Reimbursement Utilization Quality |
Map-based interface is fairly easy to use. Get profiles by county, hospital, and region by selecting from the map. | Data available for each geography varies: Hospital Referral Region Hospital Service Area Primary Care Service Area County (limited data) Hospital |
|
| Data Resource Center for Child & Adolescent
Health Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) |
Data from the National Survey of Children’s Health and the National Survey of
Children with
Special Health Care Needs on: Child health indicators Family life indicators |
Most useful for researchers. State-level rural data is available for some states, but only in the public use files, not via the web interface. Analyzing requires the ability to statistically account for the weighted nature of the survey. | National State |
|
| ERS State
Fact Sheets Economic Research Service (ERS) US Department of Agriculture |
Data from ERS, Census, BLS, BEA on: Population Income Education Employment |
Easy, printable list of relevant information | National State Rural-specific |
Ongoing, as new data is available |
| Food
Access Research Atlas Economic Research Service (ERS) US Department of Agriculture |
Data from a range of sources on: Food deserts Food access indicators |
Easy, web-based interface Downloadable data that can be merged into GIS software at the 2010 Census Tract level for use with other spatial layers. |
Census tracts | |
| Food
Environment Atlas Economic Research Service (ERS) US Department of Agriculture |
Data from a range of sources on: Access to healthy food Food security Obesity rates Physical activity Demographics |
Easy, web-based interface | State County (not available for all data) |
|
| The Health and
Well-Being of Children in Rural Areas: A Portrait of the Nation 2011-2012 Health Resources and Services Administration Published 4/2015 Print version |
Data from the National Survey of Children's Health on the following topics: Health status Health insurance coverage Healthcare access Family life and parental health status School and neighborhood factors |
Web-based and printed report | National Rural-specific |
Infrequent. The 2015 edition updates a 2011 report based on 2007 data |
| Health, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Access to nonmetropolitan data |
Data from a range of sources on: Health status and determinants Healthcare utilization, Access Expenditures |
Publication with charts/tables Supporting Excel files available on the website |
National State Rural-specific |
Annual |
| Health System Data Center The Commonwealth Fund |
Provides access to the Commonwealth Fund's Scorecard on State Health System Performance,
covering: Access Quality Cost Outcomes |
Easy, web-based interface with option to download data to Excel | State Hospital referral region |
Annual |
| Healthcare Cost and Utilization
Project (HCUP) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Access via HCUPnet |
Hospital care data from a set of databases on: Inpatient utilization Emergency department utilization Access Cost Quality Outcomes |
Easy, web-based access | National State County (beta version, for selected states) Sets/groups of hospitals, including rural hospitals |
Ongoing, as data is available |
| HealthLandscape Robert Graham Center, American Academy of Family Physicians Free, but registration required |
Data from a variety of sources showing: Healthcare facilities Health status Health insurance Employment and income Demographics |
Somewhat complex but powerful web-based interactive mapping | State County |
|
| Interactive Atlas of Heart Disease and
Stroke Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
Data from a variety of federal sources on: Heart disease Stroke Social determinants of health Health services Healthcare facilities |
Fairly straightforward web-based mapping system | National State County |
|
| Kaiser State Health Facts Kaiser Family Foundation |
Data from a variety of public and private sources on: Demographics Healthcare costs Health insurance Health status Minority and women's health Medicaid and Medicare Healthcare providers |
Easy, web-based access | State | Ongoing, as new data is available Focuses on issues of current concern, so may have limited trending data for a given topic |
| Kids Count Data Center Annie E. Casey Foundation |
Data on children's health and well-being, from a variety of national and state
sources,
covering: Demographics Economic well-being Education Family and community Health Safety and risk behaviors |
Easy to navigate website | State County Congressional District |
Annual |
| Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Access LAUS Tables Access LAUS County Maps Access LAUS Customized Tables |
Employment Unemployment |
Basic tables available on web site Easy-to-use maps Somewhat complex web-based search tool |
County | Monthly |
| Longitudinal Tract Data Base Brown University |
1970-2010 Census and American Community Survey data with standardized tract boundaries | Files available for download, requires data expertise | Census tract | |
| Mapping Medicare Disparities Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services |
Provides data on Medicare beneficiaries on: Health disparities Chronic conditions Health outcomes Healthcare utilization Cost |
Easy-to-use web-based system | State County |
Currently offers 2012-2014 data |
| Measure of America Access Measure of America Maps |
Data from a variety of sources on topics related to: Health Education Income |
Easy, web-based map tool.
Zoom in or enter ZIP code for a county profile County data can be downloaded by submitting a download agreement. |
National maps with county-level data County profiles | Currently offers 2010-2011 and 2013-2014 data sets |
| Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) |
Healthcare access Health services utilization Healthcare costs and payment methods Healthcare quality Health insurance coverage and cost |
Easy to access summary tables Somewhat complex web-based system Downloadable files require advanced data skills and do not contain metropolitan/non-metropolitan identifiers. |
National State Metropolitan/Non-metropolitan |
|
|
Medicare
Chronic Conditions Dashboards Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services |
Provides data on Medicare beneficiaries on: Chronic condition prevalence Healthcare utilization and Medicare spending related to chronic conditions |
Easy-to-use web-based system | National State County Hospital Referral Region |
Currently offers 2012 data |
|
Medicare
Geographic Variation Dashboards Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services |
Medicare fee-for-service per capita costs | Fairly straightforward, web-based tool In the county dashboard, select a state by clicking the map. |
National State County |
Annual |
| NCHHSTP Atlas National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP) |
HIV/AIDS Viral hepatitis Tuberculosis Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) |
Somewhat complex web-based system that offers various narrowing options depending on the data | National State County |
|
| National Center for Veterans Analysis and
Statistics US Department of Veterans Affairs |
Veteran population VA benefit utilization |
Downloadable files Static maps |
National State County |
|
| National Health Interview Survey Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Access rural national data via Health Data Interactive Access NHIS Datasets |
Health status Health behaviors Health insurance coverage |
Somewhat complex web-based search National nonmetropolitan data also available in the annual Summary Health Statistics for the U.S. Population: National Health Interview Survey |
In Health Data Interactive, Nonmetropolitan is under the category "Urbanicity" | Annual |
| National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS) Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota |
Historical Census data GIS-compatible boundary files |
Free, but registration required to view data. Somewhat complex system for selecting files. Video tutorial available. |
Nation State County Place Rural |
Census Data from 1790-2013 |
| National Survey
on Drug Use and
Health
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Access Drug Use and Health Detailed Tables, 2015 Access Mental Health Detailed Tables, 2014 |
Mental health conditions and services Substance abuse incidence and treatment |
Detailed tables available on website. For rural data, look for tables that list "Geographic Characteristics" | National State Regions within states Rural-specific |
Annual |
| Net Migration Patterns for U.S. Counties Applied Population Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Population Age Race/ethnicity Sex |
Easy web-based interface | County | 1950-2010 |
| Population Estimates U.S. Census Bureau Access via American FactFinder |
Age Sex Race and ethnicity |
American FactFinder's guided and advanced search options are available | National State County |
Annual |
| Rural Data Portal Housing Assistance Council |
Data from a range of sources on: Demographics Social indicators Economics Housing |
Easy-to-use web-based tool | National, with rural option State, with rural option County |
|
| Small Area Health Insurance
Estimates (SAHIE) U.S. Census Bureau Access SAHIE Interactive Data Tool Access SAHIE State and County Maps |
Health insurance coverage by age, race, gender, and income | Straightforward web-based tool Easy-to-find national maps showing county-level data |
State County |
Updated annually, but base data may not be as current for all rural areas, because it uses ACS data. |
| Small Area Income and Poverty
Estimates (SAIPE) U.S. Census Bureau Access SAIPE Interactive Data Tool Access SAIPE State and County Maps |
Annual model-based estimates for poverty (including children in poverty) Median household income |
Straightforward web-based tool Easy-to-find national maps showing county-level data |
State County School District |
Updated annually, but base data may not as current for all rural areas, because it uses ACS data. |
| State Cancer Profiles National Cancer Institute |
Cancer burden Screening and risk factors Demographic data |
Easy-to-use web-based system, including mapping | National State County |
Data comes from state public health surveillance systems, so is updated as complete national data is available. State websites may offer more detailed and more current data. |
| Why Not The Best? The Commonwealth Fund |
Data from a range of sources on: Quality Patient experience Outcomes Health status |
Easy system for comparing regions and hospitals | State Hospital Referral Region County Hospital Groups of hospitals, including "average rural" and by bed size |
Ongoing |
Selected sources identified via:
Using
Data to Understand Your Community, Rural Health Value