Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health conditions

COVID-19 Mortality Rates across Noncore, Micropolitan, and Metropolitan Counties by Community Characteristics, December 2020-January 2021
Explores differences in COVID-19 mortality rates across rural-urban designations and stratifications by geography, county-level sociodemographic factors, and county-level healthcare factors. Features statistics on mortality rates by rurality and U.S. census region, racial/ethnic composition, and ICU and nursing home bed density, as well as state-level maps showing mortality rates per 100,000 with breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Khyathi Gadag, Fred Ullrich, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
view details
Unmet Needs for Help with Mobility Limitations among Older Adults Aging in Place: The Role of Rurality
Examines unmet mobility needs related to issues of access and appropriate housing in elderly populations. Analyzes data from 3,343 respondents of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) by age, gender, race, education, income, and housing status/characteristics. Includes differences in health characteristics, fall history, and unmet needs with data broken down by rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Megan Lahr, John Mulcahy, Hannah MacDougall
Citation: Journal of Aging and Health, 35(9)
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
view details
Distance and Transportation Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening in a Rural Community
Discusses barriers, facilitators, and intervention needs related to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening at the system, provider, and patient levels. Reports on 40 interviews conducted with clinical practitioners and staff in rural Southern Illinois from 2017 to 2018 about assisting patients with navigating barriers. Focuses on issues of transportation, distance, and access in rural areas.
Author(s): Katharine M. N. Lee, Jean Hunleth, Liz Rolf, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 14
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
view details
Mental Health in Rural New York: Findings and Implications of a Listening Tour with Residents and Professionals
Findings from the Rural Mental Health Listening Tour of New York State, conducted between March 2020 and September 2021 to elicit input and experiences of community members living and working in rural areas. Presents strengths and assets of rural communities, and highlights model programs and success stories. Includes recommendations in categories including access to transportation and broadband, access to mental health programs, availability of services, improving and sustaining workforce capacity, and offers state- and county-specific recommendations.
Author(s): Brett Harris, Katie Gallant, Abby Mariani
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
view details
Geographic Disparities in COVID-19 Testing and Outcomes in Florida
Identifies geographic disparities in COVID-19 testing, incidence, hospitalizations, and mortality in Florida from March to July 2020. Provides county-level maps of COVID-19 patterns and discusses how spatial analysis can inform preventative public health interventions.
Author(s): Md Marufuzzaman Khan, Agricola Odoi, Evah W. Odoi
Citation: BMC Public Health, 23, 79
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
view details
Vaccination Coverage by Age 24 Months Among Children Born During 2018–2019 — National Immunization Survey–Child, United States, 2019–2021
Examines vaccination coverage for selected vaccines and doses among children born in 2018-2019. Supplementary Table 2 includes data for metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Additional links: Supplementary Table 2
Author(s): Holly A. Hill, Michael Chen, Laurie D. Elam-Evans, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 72(2), 33-38
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
Impacts of Critical Access Hospital Independence and System Ownership during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Summarizes findings from a survey of 155 Critical Access Hospital (CAH) executives regarding experiences and challenges responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Examines the impact of healthcare system affiliation on the CAHs' response to COVID, including the advantages and disadvantages of system affiliation and independence.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Abigail Wenninger
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Barriers, Facilitators, and Opportunities to Promote Healthy Weight Behaviors among Preschool-Aged Children in Two Rural U.S Communities
Examines barriers, facilitators, and opportunities related to supporting wellness and healthy weight in rural preschool children. Utilizes focus group interviews with parents, caregivers, and community organizations as well as observation of built environment to assess healthy eating and physical activity resources. Discusses wellness barriers and facilitators for preschool children at the family, organization, and community levels.
Author(s): Katherine Jochim Pope, Cason Whitcomb, Maihan Vu, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health 23, 53
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
view details
Examining Rural Telehealth During the Public Health Emergency
Examines the use of telehealth visits for rural and urban fee-for-service Medicare enrollees between January 2018 and June 2021. Compares telehealth utilization before the COVID-19 pandemic (2018-2019) with telehealth utilization from January 2020 to June 2021. Describes the demographic, geographical, and technological characteristics of telehealth services that were associated with increased telehealth use. Explores the extent to which the increased implementation and utilization of telehealth during the PHE impacted the cost of patient care and provider utilization.
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS Alliance to Modernize Healthcare
view details
NSDUH (National Survey on Drug Use and Health) Detailed Tables - 2021
Presents 2021 survey data, including revisions, on use of illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, trends in substance use disorder and mental health, and access to treatment for youth and adults. Features statistics for a variety of demographic and geographic characteristics, including rural versus urban status. Includes information on substance use and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
view details