Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
Access and Quality of Mental Health Services in Rural and Urban America
Research brief documenting recent trends in mental healthcare access and quality in urban and rural communities. Features state-level maps showing locations of mental health facilities, a county-level map with shadings showing driving distances to any mental health facility or access to telehealth, and statistics on ZIP code area demographics, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, and small rural area.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Sophia N.D. Negaro, Rachel M. Hantman, et al.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
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Research brief documenting recent trends in mental healthcare access and quality in urban and rural communities. Features state-level maps showing locations of mental health facilities, a county-level map with shadings showing driving distances to any mental health facility or access to telehealth, and statistics on ZIP code area demographics, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, and small rural area.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Sophia N.D. Negaro, Rachel M. Hantman, et al.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
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Sustainability of the Growth of the Local Public Health Workforce During the COVID-19 Pandemic, 2019–2022
Examines changes in the local health department (LHD) workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing 2019-2022 NACCHO National Profile of Local Health Departments data. Breaks down LHD workforce composition and size data by LHD jurisdiction size and rurality.
Author(s): Krishna Patel, Timothy C. McCall, Margaret Cunningham, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 115, 1271-1277
Date: 07/2025
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Examines changes in the local health department (LHD) workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing 2019-2022 NACCHO National Profile of Local Health Departments data. Breaks down LHD workforce composition and size data by LHD jurisdiction size and rurality.
Author(s): Krishna Patel, Timothy C. McCall, Margaret Cunningham, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 115, 1271-1277
Date: 07/2025
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Composition of the Public Health Workforce: Distribution, Training, and Tenure
Examines the composition of the public health workforce and the characteristics of their respective jurisdictions. Analyzes 248 local health departments (LHDs) and includes rural versus urban data breakdowns according to number and tenure of employees, employee education, demographic characteristics, and more.
Author(s): Casey P. Balio, Haleigh Leslie, Michael B. Meit
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, 31(4), 214-221
Date: 07/2025
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Examines the composition of the public health workforce and the characteristics of their respective jurisdictions. Analyzes 248 local health departments (LHDs) and includes rural versus urban data breakdowns according to number and tenure of employees, employee education, demographic characteristics, and more.
Author(s): Casey P. Balio, Haleigh Leslie, Michael B. Meit
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, 31(4), 214-221
Date: 07/2025
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Trends in United States Mortality among Patients with Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter Related Heart Failure (1999–2024): Disparities by Gender, Race/Ethnicity and Region
Examines the correlation between atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) mortality across various demographic groups in the United States. Utilizes 1999-2024 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) data to analyze deaths due to AF related HF by demographic groups, states, U.S. regions, and metro versus nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Suraksha Rani, Laksh Kumar, Sheikh Muhammad Ebtehaj Ali, et al.
Citation: BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, 25, 558
Date: 07/2025
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Examines the correlation between atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) mortality across various demographic groups in the United States. Utilizes 1999-2024 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) data to analyze deaths due to AF related HF by demographic groups, states, U.S. regions, and metro versus nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Suraksha Rani, Laksh Kumar, Sheikh Muhammad Ebtehaj Ali, et al.
Citation: BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, 25, 558
Date: 07/2025
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Prevalence of Clinician-Ordered Genetic Testing in Rural and Urban United States Counties: An Analysis of the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey
Examines whether rural and urban populations experience differences in clinician-ordered genetic testing prevalence, utilizing Health Information National Trends Survey data. Includes data on patient demographics associated with differences in genetic testing.
Author(s): Anne C. Madeo, Erin D. Bouldin, Kimberly A. Kaphingst, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine Reports, 57, 103163
Date: 07/2025
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Examines whether rural and urban populations experience differences in clinician-ordered genetic testing prevalence, utilizing Health Information National Trends Survey data. Includes data on patient demographics associated with differences in genetic testing.
Author(s): Anne C. Madeo, Erin D. Bouldin, Kimberly A. Kaphingst, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine Reports, 57, 103163
Date: 07/2025
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Maternal Mortality in the United States, 2025
Explores the causes of maternal mortality and its impact on overall health. Presents data on overall trends in U.S. maternal mortality; timing, causes, and place of maternal deaths; and how pregnancy-related deaths are related to infant mortality. Discusses rural disparities, behavioral health challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on pregnant women, and efforts to address the maternal health crisis.
Author(s): Eugene Declercq, Laurie Zephyrin
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Explores the causes of maternal mortality and its impact on overall health. Presents data on overall trends in U.S. maternal mortality; timing, causes, and place of maternal deaths; and how pregnancy-related deaths are related to infant mortality. Discusses rural disparities, behavioral health challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on pregnant women, and efforts to address the maternal health crisis.
Author(s): Eugene Declercq, Laurie Zephyrin
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Trends in Pulmonary Embolism Mortality in Cancer Patients in the United States from 1999-2022 – A CDC Wonder Database Study
Examines mortality rates from pulmonary embolism (PE) in cancer patients. Utilizes 1999-2022 Centers for Disease Control's Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) data to analyze 214,756 deaths, with breakdowns according to demographic variables, U.S. region, state, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Elizabeth Dort, Hannah Rud, Taylor Billion, Abubakar Tauseef
Citation: Respiratory Research, 26, 248
Date: 07/2025
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Examines mortality rates from pulmonary embolism (PE) in cancer patients. Utilizes 1999-2022 Centers for Disease Control's Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) data to analyze 214,756 deaths, with breakdowns according to demographic variables, U.S. region, state, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Elizabeth Dort, Hannah Rud, Taylor Billion, Abubakar Tauseef
Citation: Respiratory Research, 26, 248
Date: 07/2025
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Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Mobile HIV Prevention App to Increase HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Initiation Among Rural Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Southern United States: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
A study protocol that plans to analyze the effectiveness of using a mobile app to increase HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) initiation among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the rural South. Discusses recruitment and analysis methods in this type 2 hybrid effectiveness-implementation randomized controlled trial.
Author(s): Jeb Jones, Georgia Manley, Tiffany R. Glynn, et al.
Citation: JMIR Research Protocols, 14, e69540
Date: 07/2025
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A study protocol that plans to analyze the effectiveness of using a mobile app to increase HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) initiation among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the rural South. Discusses recruitment and analysis methods in this type 2 hybrid effectiveness-implementation randomized controlled trial.
Author(s): Jeb Jones, Georgia Manley, Tiffany R. Glynn, et al.
Citation: JMIR Research Protocols, 14, e69540
Date: 07/2025
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Rural–Urban Disparities in Perinatal Smoking in the United States: Trends and Determinants
Analyzes rural versus urban disparities in perinatal smoking. Utilizes 2009-2021 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data to examine differences in smoking status according to rurality, region, demographics, social indicators, and more.
Author(s): Patricia Da Rosa, Matthias Richter
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(6), 895
Date: 06/2025
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Analyzes rural versus urban disparities in perinatal smoking. Utilizes 2009-2021 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data to examine differences in smoking status according to rurality, region, demographics, social indicators, and more.
Author(s): Patricia Da Rosa, Matthias Richter
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(6), 895
Date: 06/2025
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A Comparison of Classifications for Geographic Location and their Associations with Tobacco Use among US Adults
Details a study on the differences in two different rural classification in rates of cigarette, e-cigarette, and smokeless tobacco usage. Compares U.S. Census Bureau's definition of urban and rural areas with the National Center for Education Statistics' urban/suburban/town/rural classification.
Author(s): Jenny E. Ozga, Andrea Milstred, Melissa D. Blank, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70070
Date: 06/2025
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Details a study on the differences in two different rural classification in rates of cigarette, e-cigarette, and smokeless tobacco usage. Compares U.S. Census Bureau's definition of urban and rural areas with the National Center for Education Statistics' urban/suburban/town/rural classification.
Author(s): Jenny E. Ozga, Andrea Milstred, Melissa D. Blank, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70070
Date: 06/2025
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