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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Employment and unemployment

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 non-metro 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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Economic Innovation Group
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Broadband Today: Rural America's Critical Connection
Report discussing the importance of broadband to connecting rural communities, including its role in rural businesses, telehealth access, education, and agriculture. Addresses the impacts of COVID-19 on remote work, telehealth delivery, and changes to business and consumer activity, and explores future steps for broadband funding and adoption in rural areas.
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Foundation for Rural Service
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Child Care in Rural Minnesota After 2020: A Unique Opportunity
Summarizes changes in child care in Minnesota from 2000-2020. Describes the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on child care and employment, and features discussion on how a lack of child care can affect parents' abilities to secure and maintain jobs. Includes data and statistics on changes in childcare provider licenses and capacity. Offers recommendations for recovering from the pandemic and keeping child care intact in rural Minnesota.
Additional links: Webinar Recording
Author(s): Marnie Werner
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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Asset-Based Thinking: Q&A with Graham Adams
An interview with Graham Adams of the South Carolina Office of Rural Health (SCORH). Discusses the work SCORH is doing to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also describes a collaboration with the South Carolina Rural Innovation Network to improve job training and keep jobs in rural communities.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Share Public Health: Rural Health
Podcast series discussing rural life, employment, and health. Topics include successful communities, food systems, public health departments in rural counties, health care delivery in their rural communities, and workplace safety, among others.
Date: 2021
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Midwestern Public Health Training Center
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Occupational Employment and Wages in Metro and Nonmetro Areas
A collection of charts with data on metropolitan and nonmetropolitan employment and wages. Includes wage comparisons by occupation for metro and nonmetro areas. Provides information on healthcare-related occupations. Also includes information on wages by educational attainment for metro and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Stella Fayer, Audrey Watson
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bureau of Labor Statistics
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The Impact of Coronavirus on Households in Rural America
Reports on the experiences of rural households during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses impacts on finances, employment, healthcare, housing, food, and child care. Concerns related to healthcare include access to care during the pandemic, concerns for those with special health issues such as chronic conditions, and use of telehealth.
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, National Public Radio, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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The Impact of Coronavirus on Households Across America
Examines the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on U.S. households. Covers health, economic, and work-related impacts and related issues such as broadband access. Includes a section on problems specific to rural households. A separate report is available that focuses specifically on rural impacts of COVID-19.
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, National Public Radio, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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Employment Changes Following Breast Cancer Diagnosis: The Effects of Race and Place
Explores financial burdens for women across racial categories associated with cancer diagnosis and treatment, including out-of-pocket costs, time away from work, and difficulty coordinating clinical care. Examines data from the Carolina Breast Cancer Study in 44 North Carolina counties to analyze financial implications when comparing rural-urban and racial categories.
Author(s): Jennifer C Spencer, Jason S Rotter, Jan M Eberth, et al.
Citation: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 112(6), 647-650
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
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Farm Households Reported That Working Off the Farm Provided Greater and More Stable Income, Along with Health and Retirement Benefits
Bar chart showing reasons for off-farm jobs, comparing small family farms, midsize family farms, and large-scale family farms. Includes health benefits as one reason for off-farm employment.
Date: 06/2020
Type: Chart/Graph
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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