Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Logistic and Time Burdens Reported by Gynecologic and Breast Cancer Survivors
Examines logistic and time burdens of cancer care in breast and gynecologic cancer survivors. Analyzes survey feedback from 224 participants related to travel time, wait time, and trips to the cancer center, with data breakdowns according to patient's employment, education, cancer type and treatment status, dependent status, income, and rural versus urban residence. Discusses the impact of cancer care on time for other activities.
Author(s): Allison C. Dona, Aisha Ambo, Patricia Jewett, et al.
Citation: BMC Women's Health, 25, 273
Date: 06/2025
view details
Tobacco Treatment Billing and Tobacco Use Disorder Diagnosis in Healthcare Settings in the United States: An Analysis of South Carolina Medicaid Claims
Examines demographic differences in tobacco use disorder diagnosis and receipt of counseling among Medicaid beneficiaries in South Carolina, utilizing 2019-2022 South Carolina Medicaid administrative claims data. Includes data breakdowns by rural or urban dwelling, among other factors.
Author(s): Kinsey Pebley, Joni D. Nelson, Julie L. Marshall, Alana M. Rojewski
Citation: Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 20, 24
Date: 06/2025
view details
5 Key Facts About Medicaid Coverage for People Living in Rural Areas
Provides an overview of Medicaid coverage in rural areas. Includes rural versus urban comparisons of Medicaid coverage, enrollee age, enrollee diagnosed chronic conditions, state-by-state data of Medicaid enrollees by degree of rurality, and more.
Author(s): Rhiannon Euhus, Sammy Cervantes, Alice Burns, Robin Rudowitz
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
The Rural Health Center Landscape: Data, Challenges, & Insights
Recording of a June 10, 2025, webinar discussing unique financial and operational challenges that rural health centers face. Covers health center growth and expansion, patient and payer mix, financial performance, staffing mix, and more. Compares data on rural FQHCs to urban and national FQHC data 2020-2023. Features a discussion with William Edwards, chief financial officer of G.A. Carmichael Family Health Center in Canton, Mississippi.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Capital Link
view details
Firearm Safe Storage Practices among Firearm Owners in Rural and Urban Households
Analyzes associations between rural or urban living and likelihood of storing firearms loaded versus unloaded and locked versus unlocked, utilizing 2021-2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data.
Author(s): Yi-Fang Lu, Victor A. Soupene
Citation: Injury Epidemiology, 12, 33
Date: 06/2025
view details
An Exploratory Study to Understand How Rurality Status and Demographic Characteristics Are Associated With Enrollment, Engagement, and Retention in a Digital Health Intervention Targeting the Appalachian Region
Explores how rural status is associated with enrollment, retention, and engagement in a digital health intervention aimed at reducing sugar-sweetened beverages in Appalachia. Breaks down data by rurality, sex, income, and education, among other measures.
Author(s): Donna‐Jean P. Brock, Lee M. Ritterband, Wen You, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2), e70042
Date: 06/2025
view details
Social Determinants of Health and Rehabilitation Service Areas: An Urban and Rural Mediation Analysis
Analyzes associations between social determinants of health (SDOH) and community discharge rate disparities in rural and urban communities, utilizing AHRQ Social Determinants of Health Database data alongside other ZCTA-level datasets. Identifies key factors for addressing disparities in post-acute rehabilitation services.
Author(s): Sanghun Nam, Susanne Schmidt, Julianna M. Dean, Alex F. Bokov, Timothy A. Reistetter
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1562610
Date: 06/2025
view details
Evolution of the US Nonmetropolitan Mortality Disadvantage by Sex, State, and Year, 1999–2019
Highlights rural and urban disparities in mortality by sex and state from 1999 to 2019. Breaks down data by year, sex, and Census division, among other measures.
Author(s): Eugenio Paglino, Irma T. Elo, Samuel H. Preston, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2), e70040
Date: 06/2025
view details
Geographic Disparities in Unpaid Caregiving
Presents a study examining the differences in the perceived health and well-being of unpaid caregivers between rural and urban areas. Breaks down data by caregiver demographic characteristics, such as age, sex, and employment status, among others.
Author(s): Emma Kathryn Boswell, Monique J. Brown, Lorie Donelle, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2), e70039
Date: 06/2025
view details
Key Facts About Medicare Beneficiaries in Rural Areas
Presents information and data about rural Medicare beneficiaries, including demographic and health characteristics, access to healthcare, and satisfaction with care. Compares data on beneficiaries living in urban areas, rural areas adjacent to an urban area, and rural areas not adjacent to an urban area.
Author(s): Nancy Ochieng, Alex Cottrill, Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details