Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
Pennsylvania Common Procedures Report 2024
Provides information about the performance and utilization of Pennsylvania hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers for spinal fusion, total hip replacement, and total knee replacement, using data from October 2023 through September 2024. Includes hospitalization rates for each procedure by urban and rural areas, among other breakdowns.
Additional links: Summary and Highlights
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council
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Provides information about the performance and utilization of Pennsylvania hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers for spinal fusion, total hip replacement, and total knee replacement, using data from October 2023 through September 2024. Includes hospitalization rates for each procedure by urban and rural areas, among other breakdowns.
Additional links: Summary and Highlights
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council
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A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Tobacco 21 Policies and Youth Tobacco Use: Implications for Future Policy Research
Examines the impact of Tobacco 21 (T21) policies that raise the sales age of tobacco to 21 on youth smoking. Utilizes 24 completed studies to analyze T21 regulations on smoking behaviors of respondents aged 11 to 20. Discusses T21 impacts in rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Danyi Li, Shiyou Wu, Steve Sussman, Mary Ann Pentz
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health - Americas, 50, 101208
Date: 10/2025
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Examines the impact of Tobacco 21 (T21) policies that raise the sales age of tobacco to 21 on youth smoking. Utilizes 24 completed studies to analyze T21 regulations on smoking behaviors of respondents aged 11 to 20. Discusses T21 impacts in rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Danyi Li, Shiyou Wu, Steve Sussman, Mary Ann Pentz
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health - Americas, 50, 101208
Date: 10/2025
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Geographic and Socioeconomic Landscape of Veterans With Head and Neck Cancer
Explores the geographic and socioeconomic factors that correlate with the higher rates and worse outcomes for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas among veterans compared to civilians. Breaks down data by socioeconomic factors, such as marital status, unemployment, and service connection, among other factors, as well as rurality, travel distance, and drive time.
Author(s): Kristen L. Zayan, Jennifer L. McCoy, Monique Y. Boudreaux-Kelly, et al.
Citation: Head & Neck, 47(10), 2845-2855
Date: 10/2025
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Explores the geographic and socioeconomic factors that correlate with the higher rates and worse outcomes for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas among veterans compared to civilians. Breaks down data by socioeconomic factors, such as marital status, unemployment, and service connection, among other factors, as well as rurality, travel distance, and drive time.
Author(s): Kristen L. Zayan, Jennifer L. McCoy, Monique Y. Boudreaux-Kelly, et al.
Citation: Head & Neck, 47(10), 2845-2855
Date: 10/2025
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The Moderating Effects of Perceived Transportation Access on Health and Social Connectedness for People with Disabilities
Surveys working age adults with disabilities to identify the effect of transportation access on social activity, loneliness, and self-rated health variables. Includes a rural and urban breakdown for survey respondents.
Author(s): Aaron Beuoy, Jean P. Hall, Noelle K. Kurth, Kelsey S. Goddard
Citation: Journal of Transport & Health, 44
Date: 10/2025
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Surveys working age adults with disabilities to identify the effect of transportation access on social activity, loneliness, and self-rated health variables. Includes a rural and urban breakdown for survey respondents.
Author(s): Aaron Beuoy, Jean P. Hall, Noelle K. Kurth, Kelsey S. Goddard
Citation: Journal of Transport & Health, 44
Date: 10/2025
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Dental Care in Crisis: Tracking the Cost and Prevalence of Emergency Department Visits for Non-Traumatic Dental Conditions
Report explores non-traumatic emergency department visits for dental conditions. Tracks the cost and prevalence of incidents from 2019 to 2022. Includes a breakdown of incidents in rural, small or medium metro, fringe metro, and central metro counties.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Report explores non-traumatic emergency department visits for dental conditions. Tracks the cost and prevalence of incidents from 2019 to 2022. Includes a breakdown of incidents in rural, small or medium metro, fringe metro, and central metro counties.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Implementing a Mobile Clinic for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in an Urban and Rural Context
Highlights a study on the efficacy of the mobile clinic model at providing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment in rural and urban areas. Compares and evaluates mobile OUD treatment programs in Pittsburgh, PA and rural Robeson County, NC. Evaluates programs on the basis of community engagement, cost, and partnerships with local pharmacies, among other measures.
Author(s): Orrin D. Ware, Divya Venkat, Robyn Jordan, et al.
Citation: Substance Use & Addiction Journal, 46(4), 799–805
Date: 10/2025
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Highlights a study on the efficacy of the mobile clinic model at providing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment in rural and urban areas. Compares and evaluates mobile OUD treatment programs in Pittsburgh, PA and rural Robeson County, NC. Evaluates programs on the basis of community engagement, cost, and partnerships with local pharmacies, among other measures.
Author(s): Orrin D. Ware, Divya Venkat, Robyn Jordan, et al.
Citation: Substance Use & Addiction Journal, 46(4), 799–805
Date: 10/2025
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Characteristics and Incidence of Lactational Mastitis Using State-Wide Data from 2016 to 2022
Analyzes lactational mastitis among breastfeeding women within 12 months of the postpartum period. Utilizes Maine Health Data Organization's All Payer Claims 2016-2022 data to examine lactational mastitis incidence according to delivery year, maternal age, insurance type, maternal health conditions, history and timing of mastitis, and patient rurality.
Author(s): Emily Ireland, Kristin Palmsten, Heather S. Lipkind, Christina M. Ackerman-Banks, Katherine A. Ahrens
Citation: Journal of Women's Health, 35(1)
Date: 09/2025
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Analyzes lactational mastitis among breastfeeding women within 12 months of the postpartum period. Utilizes Maine Health Data Organization's All Payer Claims 2016-2022 data to examine lactational mastitis incidence according to delivery year, maternal age, insurance type, maternal health conditions, history and timing of mastitis, and patient rurality.
Author(s): Emily Ireland, Kristin Palmsten, Heather S. Lipkind, Christina M. Ackerman-Banks, Katherine A. Ahrens
Citation: Journal of Women's Health, 35(1)
Date: 09/2025
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Youth Disconnection in The Rapides Foundation Service Area, 2025
Reporting analyzing young people between 16 and 24 that do not work or go to school, or "disconnected youth," in 8 Louisiana parishes. Offers statewide and national comparisons and considers regional disparities. Discusses the role of rurality and education in disconnection, among other indicators. Includes parish-level data.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Measure of America, The Rapides Foundation
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Reporting analyzing young people between 16 and 24 that do not work or go to school, or "disconnected youth," in 8 Louisiana parishes. Offers statewide and national comparisons and considers regional disparities. Discusses the role of rurality and education in disconnection, among other indicators. Includes parish-level data.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Measure of America, The Rapides Foundation
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The Roles of COVID‐19 Pandemic Exposure and Telehealth in Prenatal Care Access for Rural and Racial Minority Communities in the United States: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Examines how timely receipt of prenatal care differed by geography, race, and ethnicity before and during COVID-19 public health emergency and with and without telehealth use. Utilizes National Clinical Cohort Collaborative (N3C) data from June 2018 through May 2022.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Jiani Yu, Adiba B. Promiti, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4), e70077
Date: 09/2025
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Examines how timely receipt of prenatal care differed by geography, race, and ethnicity before and during COVID-19 public health emergency and with and without telehealth use. Utilizes National Clinical Cohort Collaborative (N3C) data from June 2018 through May 2022.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Jiani Yu, Adiba B. Promiti, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4), e70077
Date: 09/2025
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Disparities in Breast Cancer Detection Modalities and Outcomes among Geriatric Female Cancer Patients
Analyzes racial and geographic disparities in breast cancer screening modality and 5-year breast cancer survival among older women using 2010-2019 Texas Cancer Registry data. Discusses implications for improving cancer outcomes in rural populations.
Author(s): Zhaoli Liu, Mathilda Nicot-Cartsonis, Biai D.E. Digbeu
Citation: Geriatric Nursing, 65, 103514
Date: 09/2025
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Analyzes racial and geographic disparities in breast cancer screening modality and 5-year breast cancer survival among older women using 2010-2019 Texas Cancer Registry data. Discusses implications for improving cancer outcomes in rural populations.
Author(s): Zhaoli Liu, Mathilda Nicot-Cartsonis, Biai D.E. Digbeu
Citation: Geriatric Nursing, 65, 103514
Date: 09/2025
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