Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
Connecticut Rural Towns
Map with shadings showing designated rural areas, defined as areas with both U.S. Census populations of 10,000 or less and population density of 500 or less per square mile, and HRSA-designated rural areas.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Connecticut State Office of Rural Health
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Map with shadings showing designated rural areas, defined as areas with both U.S. Census populations of 10,000 or less and population density of 500 or less per square mile, and HRSA-designated rural areas.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Connecticut State Office of Rural Health
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2024 Texas Hospital Nurse Staffing Study: Rural and Critical Access Hospitals
Compares nurse staffing in Texas's rural Critical Access Hospitals (CAH), rural non-CAH hospitals, and non-rural hospitals, utilizing 2024 Hospital Nurse Staffing Survey data. Provides data on vacancies, turnover, and budgeting for the nurse workforce.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies, Texas Health and Human Services
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Compares nurse staffing in Texas's rural Critical Access Hospitals (CAH), rural non-CAH hospitals, and non-rural hospitals, utilizing 2024 Hospital Nurse Staffing Survey data. Provides data on vacancies, turnover, and budgeting for the nurse workforce.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies, Texas Health and Human Services
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Rural Health Disparities and Differences in Definitions of Rurality
Examines health disparities and differences in healthcare characteristics between rural and nonrural counties using data from the 2023 County Health Rankings and 2021-2022 Area Health Resources Files. Compares community health and healthcare characteristics by two county-level urban-rural classification systems: Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC) and Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs). Explores the degree to which four county-level classification systems - RUCC, CBSA, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Urban-Rural Classification Scheme for Counties, and Urban Influence Codes (UIC) - agree regarding which counties are designated as rural.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Examines health disparities and differences in healthcare characteristics between rural and nonrural counties using data from the 2023 County Health Rankings and 2021-2022 Area Health Resources Files. Compares community health and healthcare characteristics by two county-level urban-rural classification systems: Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC) and Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs). Explores the degree to which four county-level classification systems - RUCC, CBSA, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Urban-Rural Classification Scheme for Counties, and Urban Influence Codes (UIC) - agree regarding which counties are designated as rural.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Rural Households Accounted for Nearly One-Sixth of U.S. Food-Insecure Households in 2023
Charts depicting the share of food insecurity in 2023 by residence area type.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Charts depicting the share of food insecurity in 2023 by residence area type.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Using Social Risks to Predict Unplanned Hospital Readmission and Emergency Care Among Hospitalized Veterans
Examines the correlation of hospital readmission rates of veterans and social risk. Utilizes 2016-2022 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) data to create a social risk index, focusing on domains such as psychosocial, financial, housing, food insecurity, violence, access to care, neighborhood deprivation, and more. Includes breakdowns of social risk according to sociodemographic variables, VA priority enrollment, hospital readmission, and rural, highly rural, or urban.
Author(s): Portia Y. Cornell, Cassandra L. Hua, Zachary M. Buchalksi, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(1)
Date: 02/2025
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Examines the correlation of hospital readmission rates of veterans and social risk. Utilizes 2016-2022 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) data to create a social risk index, focusing on domains such as psychosocial, financial, housing, food insecurity, violence, access to care, neighborhood deprivation, and more. Includes breakdowns of social risk according to sociodemographic variables, VA priority enrollment, hospital readmission, and rural, highly rural, or urban.
Author(s): Portia Y. Cornell, Cassandra L. Hua, Zachary M. Buchalksi, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(1)
Date: 02/2025
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High Prescription Drug Out-of-Pocket Spending Burden among Privately Insured Rural and Urban Adults Age 18-64
Analyzes prescription drug out-of-pocket spending among privately-insured rural and urban adults, utilizing 2017-2020 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. Compares average spending and high prescription out-of-pocket burden in rural and urban populations, and details implications for rural medication adherence and associated health outcomes.
Author(s): Jean A. Talbot, Elora Way, Yvonne Jonk, Erica C. Ziller
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Analyzes prescription drug out-of-pocket spending among privately-insured rural and urban adults, utilizing 2017-2020 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. Compares average spending and high prescription out-of-pocket burden in rural and urban populations, and details implications for rural medication adherence and associated health outcomes.
Author(s): Jean A. Talbot, Elora Way, Yvonne Jonk, Erica C. Ziller
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Rural-Urban Differences and Trends in Children's Health Insurance Coverage
Examines differences in urban and rural children's insurance coverage from 2012-2019, and socioeconomic characteristics of uninsured children in 2016 and 2019. Features demographics and statistics by year, with breakdowns by urban and rural residence.
Author(s): Erica C. Ziller. Catherine Gelsinger, Brianna Holston
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Examines differences in urban and rural children's insurance coverage from 2012-2019, and socioeconomic characteristics of uninsured children in 2016 and 2019. Features demographics and statistics by year, with breakdowns by urban and rural residence.
Author(s): Erica C. Ziller. Catherine Gelsinger, Brianna Holston
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Prevalence and Correlates of Forgone Care among Older Rural and Urban Medicare Beneficiaries during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Results of a study assessing rural-urban differences in forgone care among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older, using data from June and July 2020. Also examines what types of care were most often forgone and what access barriers were most common. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Heidi O'Connor, Jean Talbot, Erica C. Ziller
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Results of a study assessing rural-urban differences in forgone care among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older, using data from June and July 2020. Also examines what types of care were most often forgone and what access barriers were most common. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Heidi O'Connor, Jean Talbot, Erica C. Ziller
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Sociodemographic Factors Associated with Prenatal Care Utilization in Arkansas, United States
Examines demographic factors associated with number of prenatal care visits, including data on late prenatal care and no prenatal care, in Arkansas. Utilizes 2014-2022 National Center for Health Statistics birth record data. Includes rural versus urban comparisons for select demographic indicators.
Author(s): Pearl A. McElfish, Aaron Caldwell, Donya Watson, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine Reports, 51, 102983
Date: 01/2025
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Examines demographic factors associated with number of prenatal care visits, including data on late prenatal care and no prenatal care, in Arkansas. Utilizes 2014-2022 National Center for Health Statistics birth record data. Includes rural versus urban comparisons for select demographic indicators.
Author(s): Pearl A. McElfish, Aaron Caldwell, Donya Watson, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine Reports, 51, 102983
Date: 01/2025
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Association Between Rurality and Race/Ethnicity and Pediatric Cancer Early Mortality: A Population-Based Cohort Study Using SEER Data from 2000 to 2021
Examines the relationship among early mortality in pediatric cancer patients, rurality, and race/ethnicity. Utilizes 2000-2021 SEER Research Plus Limited-Field data to examine 138,648 patients and the factors contributing to mortality within 12 months of diagnosis. Discusses health disparities for rural and non-White populations.
Author(s): Kiersten Preuss, Emma Hymel, Melissa Acquazzino, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway
Citation: Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 73(3), e31520
Date: 01/2025
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Examines the relationship among early mortality in pediatric cancer patients, rurality, and race/ethnicity. Utilizes 2000-2021 SEER Research Plus Limited-Field data to examine 138,648 patients and the factors contributing to mortality within 12 months of diagnosis. Discusses health disparities for rural and non-White populations.
Author(s): Kiersten Preuss, Emma Hymel, Melissa Acquazzino, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway
Citation: Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 73(3), e31520
Date: 01/2025
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