Rural Health
News by Topic: Rural-urban differences
Dec 9, 2024 - Provides overview of resources available through the Rural Mental Health Resources Hub, created by Mental Health America (MHA). Describes resources including a free mental health screening, educational overviews, and information for communities looking to better serve residents with mental health conditions. Discusses rural disparities in access to mental health treatment and efforts by MHA's South Carolina chapter to expand access through a mobile mental health clinic program.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Dec 6, 2024 - Features a program led by the Oklahoma Breastfeeding Resource Center (OBRC) which works to expand access to breastfeeding education in rural communities. Notes the health benefits of breastfeeding and lower rates of breastfeeding initiation in some rural areas. Describes how OBRC offers training to rural providers on evidence-based best practices and helps hospitals achieve Baby-Friendly designation.
Source: National Rural Health Association
Dec 4, 2024 - Summarizes recent research finding that between 2010 and 2022 access to obstetric care has declined in both rural and urban hospitals, though closures for rural areas are felt more acutely. Notes the impact closures have on already high maternal mortality rates.
Source: University of Minnesota News and Events
Dec 2, 2024 - Describes the findings of a 2024 report by County Health Rankings & Roadmaps on health disparities between urban and rural counties. Includes analysis and visualization of data on uneven health outcomes and regional disparities. Highlights the correlation between poor health outcomes in rural counties and lack of access to civic infrastructure, including libraries, high speed internet, and local news.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Nov 27, 2024 - An analysis of roadway accidents found that drivers in rural Arkansas counties died at higher rates than urban ones between 2016 and 2022. Notes potential reasons for the disparity including higher speeds, farm equipment, and longer emergency response times. Discusses the implications for holiday travel and other disparities related to driver demographics, crash causes, and safety equipment use.
Source: Arkansas Advocate
Nov 21, 2024 - National Rural Health Day, a day to recognize the efforts of rural community members, healthcare providers, and other rural stakeholders, is being celebrated on November 21, 2024. Includes a collection of stories from around the country recognizing and celebrating National Rural Health Day.
HRSA: Inclusion of Terrain Factors in the Definition of Rural Area for Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Grants
Federal Register
Nov 21, 2024 - Notice of final rule from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) adopting proposed modifications to the definition of rural areas to integrate the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) 2023 Road Ruggedness Scale (RRS). The updated definition of rural will include geographic areas that are either nonmetropolitan counties, outlying metropolitan counties with no population from an urban area of 50,000 or more people, census tracts with rural-urban commuting area (RUCA) codes 4-10 in metropolitan counties, census tracts of at least 400 square miles in an area with a population density of 35 or less per square mile with RUCA codes 2-3 in metropolitan counties, or census tracts with RRS 5 and RUCA codes 2-3 that are at least 20 square miles in metropolitan counties. Lists the number of tracts newly defined as rural in 10 states. Changes go into effect November 21, 2024 and apply to FORHP's Notice of Funding Opportunity for fiscal year 2025 and future years.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 13, 2024 - Provides overview of recent research on rural medical debt. Notes that rural residents are more likely than urban residents to have problems paying medical bills, and identifies gender and racial disparities within rural survey respondents. Discusses the potential impacts of medical debt on the viability of rural hospitals.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Nov 11, 2024 - Highlights research finding that cardiovascular disease deaths have increased for rural adults between 2010 and 2020. The study analyzed death certificate data for over 11 million people from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's WONDER database. Discusses the impact of COVID-19 on already existing cardiovascular health outcomes on rural and urban populations. Notes possible solutions for reducing the disparity.
Source: American Heart Association Newsroom