Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural definitions
Fact Sheet: How to Define Rurality
Fact sheet defines rural in the context of the Veterans Health Administration. Discusses RUCA codes, Census tracts, and how the VA assigns rurality.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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Fact sheet defines rural in the context of the Veterans Health Administration. Discusses RUCA codes, Census tracts, and how the VA assigns rurality.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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Development of the Rural Perception Scale (RPS-18)
Examines perceptions of rurality through a survey of 1,384 people in rural Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Provides data breakdowns by geography of 18 perceptions related to belonging, attitudes toward rurality, loneliness, and community social ties. Discusses the relationship between individual factors, the concept of rurality, and geographically defined versus perceived rurality.
Author(s): Sunny Jung Kim, Jennifer Alford-Teaster, Jenna E. Schiffelbein, Tracy Onega
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 40(2), 348-367
Date: 09/2023
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Examines perceptions of rurality through a survey of 1,384 people in rural Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Provides data breakdowns by geography of 18 perceptions related to belonging, attitudes toward rurality, loneliness, and community social ties. Discusses the relationship between individual factors, the concept of rurality, and geographically defined versus perceived rurality.
Author(s): Sunny Jung Kim, Jennifer Alford-Teaster, Jenna E. Schiffelbein, Tracy Onega
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 40(2), 348-367
Date: 09/2023
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Oregon Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) Facilities
Shows a county-level map of Oregon identifying the locations of hospitals participating in the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP), whether they are type A or B, and whether they are located in a frontier county.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Oregon Office of Rural Health
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Shows a county-level map of Oregon identifying the locations of hospitals participating in the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP), whether they are type A or B, and whether they are located in a frontier county.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Oregon Office of Rural Health
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Characterizing Rugged Terrain in the United States
Analyzes the impact of rugged terrain on travel barriers and community development in U.S. Census tracts, with a focus on the relationship between terrain, rurality, and low-income areas. Presents two representations of topographic variability: the Area Ruggedness Scale and the Road Ruggedness Scale. Includes related maps and data applying the scales to regions, states, and rural and urban areas of the U.S.
Author(s): Elizabeth A. Dobis, John Cromartie, Ryan Williams, Kyle Reed
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Analyzes the impact of rugged terrain on travel barriers and community development in U.S. Census tracts, with a focus on the relationship between terrain, rurality, and low-income areas. Presents two representations of topographic variability: the Area Ruggedness Scale and the Road Ruggedness Scale. Includes related maps and data applying the scales to regions, states, and rural and urban areas of the U.S.
Author(s): Elizabeth A. Dobis, John Cromartie, Ryan Williams, Kyle Reed
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Rural Emergency Hospital Designation
Webinar recording discussing the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation for Texas hospitals including eligibility, payment, and becoming and REH. Includes information on the definition of rural and the history of the various rural-related hospital designations. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 07/2023
Sponsoring organization: University of Texas at Arlington Center for Rural Health and Nursing
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Webinar recording discussing the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation for Texas hospitals including eligibility, payment, and becoming and REH. Includes information on the definition of rural and the history of the various rural-related hospital designations. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 07/2023
Sponsoring organization: University of Texas at Arlington Center for Rural Health and Nursing
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OMB Bulletin No. 23-01, Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas
Outlines the Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, Combined Statistical Areas, and Metropolitan Division – collectively called Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) – for the United States and Puerto Rico. Reflects the 2020 Standards for Delineating Core Based Statistical Areas published by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in July 2021 and the application of those standards to Census population and journey-to-work data, including the 2020 Decennial Census, American Community Survey, and Census Population Estimates Program data. Also provides guidance on the use of these delineations.
Date: 07/2023
Sponsoring organization: Office of Management and Budget
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Outlines the Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, Combined Statistical Areas, and Metropolitan Division – collectively called Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) – for the United States and Puerto Rico. Reflects the 2020 Standards for Delineating Core Based Statistical Areas published by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in July 2021 and the application of those standards to Census population and journey-to-work data, including the 2020 Decennial Census, American Community Survey, and Census Population Estimates Program data. Also provides guidance on the use of these delineations.
Date: 07/2023
Sponsoring organization: Office of Management and Budget
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Equity, Multisector Collaboration and Innovation for Rural Health: Lessons from the National Rural Health Association Conference
Provides overview of topics discussed at the National Rural Health Association's Rural Health Equity Conference and Annual Rural Health Conference in May 2023 in San Diego, California. Topics include health equity, defining "rural," available data tools, community health workers, and more.
Author(s): Sagar B. Dugani, Randolph D. Hubach
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 23(2)
Date: 06/2023
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Provides overview of topics discussed at the National Rural Health Association's Rural Health Equity Conference and Annual Rural Health Conference in May 2023 in San Diego, California. Topics include health equity, defining "rural," available data tools, community health workers, and more.
Author(s): Sagar B. Dugani, Randolph D. Hubach
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 23(2)
Date: 06/2023
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Rural Definitions Used for Eligibility Requirements in USDA Rural Development Programs
Provides an overview of the definitions of rural that are used to determine eligibility for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) programs. Identifies issues that Congress may want to consider related to these definitions and community eligibility.
Date: 04/2023
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the definitions of rural that are used to determine eligibility for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) programs. Identifies issues that Congress may want to consider related to these definitions and community eligibility.
Date: 04/2023
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Colorado: Rural Health Facilities within County Designations, 2023
Identifies Colorado counties by rural, urban, and frontier designations and the location of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs).
Date: 03/2023
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
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Identifies Colorado counties by rural, urban, and frontier designations and the location of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs).
Date: 03/2023
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
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Urban Bias in Rural Data Sets
Policy position paper discussing various classifications of rural, how these definitions may not accurately represent rural areas, and the potential implications for rural populations. Offers policy recommendations regarding rural data infrastructure and the allocation of resources using rural definitions.
Author(s): Leah Bouchard, Isela Garcia, Jacy Warrell
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy position paper discussing various classifications of rural, how these definitions may not accurately represent rural areas, and the potential implications for rural populations. Offers policy recommendations regarding rural data infrastructure and the allocation of resources using rural definitions.
Author(s): Leah Bouchard, Isela Garcia, Jacy Warrell
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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