Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
Primary Care Screening for Sexually Transmitted Infections in the United States from 2019 to 2021
Examines the impact of COVID-19 on sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing in primary care settings from 2019-2021. Analyzes data from 4,410,609 patient encounters recorded in the PRIME Registry and observes testing rates according to STI type, patient demographics, patient region and community type, and metropolitan, micropolitan, small town, or rural location.
Author(s): Shiying Hao, Esther E. Velásquez, William S. Pearson, et al.
Citation: PLOS ONE, 20(6)
Date: 06/2025
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Examines the impact of COVID-19 on sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing in primary care settings from 2019-2021. Analyzes data from 4,410,609 patient encounters recorded in the PRIME Registry and observes testing rates according to STI type, patient demographics, patient region and community type, and metropolitan, micropolitan, small town, or rural location.
Author(s): Shiying Hao, Esther E. Velásquez, William S. Pearson, et al.
Citation: PLOS ONE, 20(6)
Date: 06/2025
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Economic Factors Associated With County-Level Mental Health – United States, 2019
Explores the correlation between economic factors, such as household income, education, and supplemental income and nutritional support, and county-level mental health. Breaks down economic factors, such as employment, income and wealth, and expenses by rural and urban location.
Author(s): Michele L.F. Bolduc, Parya Saberi, Torsten B. Neilands, et al.
Citation: PLoS One, 20(6), e0300939
Date: 06/2025
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Explores the correlation between economic factors, such as household income, education, and supplemental income and nutritional support, and county-level mental health. Breaks down economic factors, such as employment, income and wealth, and expenses by rural and urban location.
Author(s): Michele L.F. Bolduc, Parya Saberi, Torsten B. Neilands, et al.
Citation: PLoS One, 20(6), e0300939
Date: 06/2025
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Primary Care Practices' Choice of Implementation Strategy for Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Patients with Diabetes: A Multiple Methods Study Within a Larger Hybrid Type-3 Effectiveness-Implementation Study
Examines characteristics of primary care (PC) practices that utilize either a self-paced or virtual continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) implementation service. Provides feedback on CGM implementation from 76 PC practices in Colorado as well as characteristics of those practices. Compares metro versus nonmetro PC utilization of two CGM services: the self-paced American Academy of Family Physicians Transformation in Practice Series (TIPS) service or the virtual CGM initiation service (virCIS).
Author(s): Kimberly T. Wiggins, Tristen L. Hall, Bonnie Jortberg, et al.
Citation: BMC Primary Care, 26, 195
Date: 06/2025
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Examines characteristics of primary care (PC) practices that utilize either a self-paced or virtual continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) implementation service. Provides feedback on CGM implementation from 76 PC practices in Colorado as well as characteristics of those practices. Compares metro versus nonmetro PC utilization of two CGM services: the self-paced American Academy of Family Physicians Transformation in Practice Series (TIPS) service or the virtual CGM initiation service (virCIS).
Author(s): Kimberly T. Wiggins, Tristen L. Hall, Bonnie Jortberg, et al.
Citation: BMC Primary Care, 26, 195
Date: 06/2025
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Payment Source Shift for Surgical Care Among Veterans Enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans
Examines the likelihood of veterans enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to shift payments for inpatient surgical care from MA to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Analyzes 54,754 inpatient surgeries of VHA enrollees to observe payment trends, with data broken down by demographics, insurance characteristics, region, and rurality.
Author(s): Winta T. Mehtsun, Yanlei Ma, Ellen Latsko, et al.
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 6(6)
Date: 06/2025
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Examines the likelihood of veterans enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to shift payments for inpatient surgical care from MA to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Analyzes 54,754 inpatient surgeries of VHA enrollees to observe payment trends, with data broken down by demographics, insurance characteristics, region, and rurality.
Author(s): Winta T. Mehtsun, Yanlei Ma, Ellen Latsko, et al.
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 6(6)
Date: 06/2025
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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