Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Association of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Changes in Patterns of Cancer-Related Mortality in the United States
Analyzes the cancer mortality rate during the 2020 year of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic years. Utilizes the 2015-2020 Multiple Cause of Death database to examine mortality by sex, race/ethnicity, urban versus rural residence, and place of death.
Author(s): Jingxuan Zhao, Xuesong Han, Kimberly D. Miller, et al.
Citation: JCO Oncology Practice, 19(7), 501-508
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
view details
Traffic Safety Facts, 2021 Data: Speeding
Contains information on speeding-related and non-speeding-related fatal and non-fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Features statistics on rates of injury and death, sex and age group of speeding drivers, previous 5-year driving records of speeding drivers, alcohol involvement, time of day and weekday or weekend, roadway surface condition, and roadway function class, with breakdowns including interstate rural and non-interstate rural.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
view details
Accommodation and Acceptability of Health Care by Non-Metropolitan/Metropolitan and Race/Ethnicity Status
Provides an overview of the "5 A's of Access" in healthcare: availability, accessibility, affordability, accommodation, and acceptability. Uses data from the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to explore differences in accommodation and acceptability in rural and urban areas of eight states. Presents data on non-financial reasons for delaying care and satisfaction with the care received by urban/rural status and among rural respondents by race and ethnicity.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Radhika Ranganathan, Elizabeth L. Crouch, et al.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
view details
We Are All in This Together: Rurality, Social Cohesion, and COVID-19 Prevention Behaviors
Examines how social cohesion, rurality, and individual behaviors to prevent COVID-19 are related. Analyzes 2,926 participant survey responses in 2021 according to COVID-19 experiences and attitudes, social distancing behaviors, and tendencies to remain home while sick, with data broken down by demographic variables such as rural versus urban, age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, income, and marriage status. Discusses the importance of understanding rural culture and behaviors when communicating public health strategies.
Author(s): Radhika Sood, Juliette Entenman, Erin Kitt-Lewis, et al.
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 40(1), 154-161
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
view details
Rural Social Isolation, with Carrie Henning-Smith
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Carrie Henning-Smith, PhD, Deputy Director of the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center. Focuses on rural social isolation, the negative effects it has on wellness, and how it can be mitigated.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Early Financial Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on U.S. Hospitals
Examines how hospital profitability changed during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores the association between COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations and county-level variables to operating margins (OMs) and total margins (TMs). Presents data by hospital characteristics, including size and Critical Access Hospital status, and compares findings from urban and rural hospitals.
Author(s): Kate Li, Mona Al-Amin, Michael D. Rosko
Citation: Journal of Healthcare Management, 68(4), 268-283
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
view details
Evaluation of the Impact of the No Surprises Act on Health Care Market Outcomes: Baseline Trends and Framework for Analysis - First Annual Report
Provides an overview of the No Surprises Act, which aims to protect participants, beneficiaries, and enrollees in group health plans and group and individual health insurance coverage from surprise medical bills. Details key trends in factors that will be important to evaluate the effects of the No Surprises Act, including the implementation and impacts of state surprise billing laws already in effect; trends in market consolidation and concentration; the impact of market consolidation and concentration on prices, quality, and spending; and trends in out-of-network billing. Describes a conceptual framework for considering the healthcare market effects of the No Surprises Act. Figure 4-3 shows rates of out-of-network billing prevalence by urban and rural patient residence.
Additional links: Cover Memo
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
COVID-19 Working Paper: Obesity Prevalence Among U.S. Adult Subpopulations During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Explores obesity disparities among adults before the COVID-19 pandemic and during the first year of the pandemic. Uses data from the 2011-2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to estimate changes in obesity rates and compares rates across demographic and socioeconomic subgroups, including urban-rural status, Census region, age group, race and ethnicity, and more.
Author(s): Mariah D. Ehmke, Brandon J. Restrepo
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
view details
2021 Quality Payment Program Experience Report
Reports on the clinician experience for those participating in the Quality Payment Program in 2021. Presents data on Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility and participation rates for clinicians in small practices and rural areas, as well as their mean payment adjustment scores.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
COVID-19 Hospital Encounters by Urban-Rural Location of the Hospital by Week From Selected Hospitals
Line chart showing hospitals' percentage of confirmed COVID-19 encounters among all emergency department or inpatient encounters. Includes data from March 2020 through December 2022 for large central and fringe metro areas, medium and small metro areas, and rural areas.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Chart/Graph
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
view details