Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Economics and the economy
Affordability and Availability: Expanding Broadband in the Black Rural South
Report examining broadband access in African American communities in the rural South. Highlights economic, healthcare, and educational opportunities that accompany broadband access. Discusses financial and policy barriers to broadband access in the Black rural South and offers policy recommendations to increase access.
Author(s): Dominique Harrison
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
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Report examining broadband access in African American communities in the rural South. Highlights economic, healthcare, and educational opportunities that accompany broadband access. Discusses financial and policy barriers to broadband access in the Black rural South and offers policy recommendations to increase access.
Author(s): Dominique Harrison
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
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Impact of USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on Rural and Urban Economies in the Aftermath of the Great Recession
Reports on the effects of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit spending on employment, output, and household incomes between 2009-2014. Describes the different impacts of SNAP benefit outlays on urban and rural economies.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Stephen Vogel, Cristina Miller, Katherine Ralston
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Reports on the effects of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit spending on employment, output, and household incomes between 2009-2014. Describes the different impacts of SNAP benefit outlays on urban and rural economies.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Stephen Vogel, Cristina Miller, Katherine Ralston
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Reenvisioning Rural America
Examines census tracts designated as micropolitan, small town, and isolated rural by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) code system, offering a typology of tracts based on assets and strengths. Organizes rural census tracts into categories including accessible, energy-rich hubs; high-employment agricultural areas; centers of wealth and health; and more. Includes a data map with information on each category of rural census tract and population, government, and geographic information for each tract.
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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Examines census tracts designated as micropolitan, small town, and isolated rural by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) code system, offering a typology of tracts based on assets and strengths. Organizes rural census tracts into categories including accessible, energy-rich hubs; high-employment agricultural areas; centers of wealth and health; and more. Includes a data map with information on each category of rural census tract and population, government, and geographic information for each tract.
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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Federal Data for Conducting Patient-Centered Outcomes Research on Economic Outcomes
Examines 29 federal and federally-funded healthcare data sources relevant to patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) on economic outcomes to find gaps to aid future data collection efforts. Exhibit 2 reports on the overall characteristics for the 29 data sources by data source steward, how the data is collected, aggregation level, observation length, how often the data is collected, observable social determinants of health (SDOH) measures, and observable factors related to health equity, which includes rural-urban status. Exhibit A-2 outlines each characteristic mentioned above for all 29 data sources included in the analysis.
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Examines 29 federal and federally-funded healthcare data sources relevant to patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) on economic outcomes to find gaps to aid future data collection efforts. Exhibit 2 reports on the overall characteristics for the 29 data sources by data source steward, how the data is collected, aggregation level, observation length, how often the data is collected, observable social determinants of health (SDOH) measures, and observable factors related to health equity, which includes rural-urban status. Exhibit A-2 outlines each characteristic mentioned above for all 29 data sources included in the analysis.
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Redefining Rural: What Rural Prosperity and the Geography of Newly Affluent Rural Communities Tells Us About Rural Development
Examines rural prosperity data and changes for counties that grew in, maintained, or slipped in prosperity from 2000 to 2018, using American Community Survey (ACS) and U.S. Census Bureau data. Offers tables breaking down prosperity according to rates of high school degree holders, poverty rate, employment, housing vacancy, and income, including comparisons between rural and non-rural counties. Presents a case study analysis on rural prosperity in Texas.
Author(s): Kennedy O'Dell
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organization: Economic Innovation Group
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Examines rural prosperity data and changes for counties that grew in, maintained, or slipped in prosperity from 2000 to 2018, using American Community Survey (ACS) and U.S. Census Bureau data. Offers tables breaking down prosperity according to rates of high school degree holders, poverty rate, employment, housing vacancy, and income, including comparisons between rural and non-rural counties. Presents a case study analysis on rural prosperity in Texas.
Author(s): Kennedy O'Dell
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organization: Economic Innovation Group
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Perceptions of Diseases of Despair by Members of Rural and Urban High-Prevalence Communities: A Qualitative Study
Reports on a study of community perceptions of despair-related illnesses based on 4 focus groups of 60 patients from 1 urban and 2 rural census blocks in central Pennsylvania where diseases of despair (DoD) are prevalent. Discusses perceived causes of DoD, such as economic instability, substance misuse, and fragmented family life; and intervention strategies at the community, local, and state level.
Author(s): Daniel R. George, Bethany Snyder, Lauren J. Van Scoy, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(7), e2118134
Date: 07/2021
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Reports on a study of community perceptions of despair-related illnesses based on 4 focus groups of 60 patients from 1 urban and 2 rural census blocks in central Pennsylvania where diseases of despair (DoD) are prevalent. Discusses perceived causes of DoD, such as economic instability, substance misuse, and fragmented family life; and intervention strategies at the community, local, and state level.
Author(s): Daniel R. George, Bethany Snyder, Lauren J. Van Scoy, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(7), e2118134
Date: 07/2021
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Examining Opportunities for Growth and Investment in Rural America
Video recording of testimony from rural healthcare and economic organization leadership to the U.S. House Agriculture Committee. Discusses broadband and telehealth, COVID-19 impacts on rural healthcare and economics, education, infrastructure, aging, and agriculture business issues. Transcript available in the video description.
Additional links: Testimony Transcripts
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: U.S. House Committee on Agriculture
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Video recording of testimony from rural healthcare and economic organization leadership to the U.S. House Agriculture Committee. Discusses broadband and telehealth, COVID-19 impacts on rural healthcare and economics, education, infrastructure, aging, and agriculture business issues. Transcript available in the video description.
Additional links: Testimony Transcripts
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: U.S. House Committee on Agriculture
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The Opioid Epidemic: A Geography in Two Phases
Examines population and geographic data on 2 phases of the U.S. opioid epidemic. Examines the association between overdose deaths and chronic pain, physical disability rates, and economic hardship. Discusses the shift from overdose mortality associated with prescription opioids to illicit and synthetic opioids in the early 2010s, including in rural areas and the Northeastern U.S.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): David A. McGranahan, Timothy S. Parker
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Examines population and geographic data on 2 phases of the U.S. opioid epidemic. Examines the association between overdose deaths and chronic pain, physical disability rates, and economic hardship. Discusses the shift from overdose mortality associated with prescription opioids to illicit and synthetic opioids in the early 2010s, including in rural areas and the Northeastern U.S.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): David A. McGranahan, Timothy S. Parker
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Redefining Rural: Towards a Better Understanding of Geography, Demography, and Economy in America's Rural Places
Offers a hybrid definition of rurality based on metro and nonmetro definitions from the Office of Management and Budget, Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, and considers outlying communities in metro and micropolitan counties as rural. Compares rural and non-rural poverty rates, economic well-being, population changes, and other characteristics to represent counties in economic distress.
Author(s): Kennedy O'Dell
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Economic Innovation Group
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Offers a hybrid definition of rurality based on metro and nonmetro definitions from the Office of Management and Budget, Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, and considers outlying communities in metro and micropolitan counties as rural. Compares rural and non-rural poverty rates, economic well-being, population changes, and other characteristics to represent counties in economic distress.
Author(s): Kennedy O'Dell
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Economic Innovation Group
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COVID-19: Sustained Federal Action Is Crucial as Pandemic Enters Its Second Year
Discusses the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Provides an overview of federal actions on healthcare and economic policy areas through March 10, 2021, including data on vaccine administration and COVID-19 relief spending. Offers 28 new recommendations to federal agencies regarding public health, the economy, and program integrity that would improve the federal response.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Discusses the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Provides an overview of federal actions on healthcare and economic policy areas through March 10, 2021, including data on vaccine administration and COVID-19 relief spending. Offers 28 new recommendations to federal agencies regarding public health, the economy, and program integrity that would improve the federal response.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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