Rural Health Disparities – Resources

Regional and Rural-urban Patterns in the Prevalence of Diagnosed Hypertension among Older U.S. Adults with Diabetes, 2005–2017
Explores trends in the prevalence of diagnosed hypertension among Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes across four geographic regions between 2005 and 2017. Examines Medicare administrative claims data to describe sociodemographic characteristics of the sampled beneficiaries with diabetes. Uses the 2013 CDC National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) classification scheme to compare the age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension in each region over time by rurality.
Author(s): Jalal Uddin, Sha Zhu, Gargya Malla, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 24, 24, 1326
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
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Discrimination in Healthcare: Perceptions Among LGBTQ Individuals in the Metro and the Nonmetro
Discusses the disparities related to healthcare discrimination of LGBTQ individuals living in metro versus nonmetro areas of the United States. Utilizes 2022 survey data to examines LGBTQ experiences regarding topics such as location of residence, life satisfaction, access to respectful healthcare, trans healthcare issues, and more.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Preventable Premature Deaths from the Five Leading Causes of Death in Nonmetropolitan and Metropolitan Counties, United States, 2010–2022
Analyzes National Vital Statistics System mortality data between 2010 and 2022 to find the 5 leading causes of preventable deaths for people less than 80 years old. Discusses trends across time in metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore regions and the impact of COVID-19 on the findings. Offers recommendations for future data analysis.
Author(s): Macarena C. García, Lauren M. Rossen, Kevin Matthews, et al.
Citation: MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 73(2), 1-11
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Rural-Urban Disparities in the Availability of Hospital-Based Screening, Medications for Opioid Use Disorder, and Addiction Consult Services
Compares availability of opioid use disorder screening, medication, and addiction consult services in hospitals by level of rurality. Utilizes data from the 2021 American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey of Hospitals. Discusses access barriers to opioid use disorder services in rural areas.
Author(s): Berkeley Franz, Cory E. Cronin, Zoe Lindenfield, et al.
Citation: Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment, 160, 209280
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
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Rural-Urban Differences in Long-Term Mortality and Readmission Following COVID-19 Hospitalization, 2020 to 2023
Analyzes rural-urban disparities in mortality and hospital readmission among 9,325 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 from March 2020 to July 2022, with follow-up data through May 2023. Includes data on demographic and clinical factors associated with rural dwelling.
Author(s): Mohammed Yousufuddin, Maryam Mahmood, Ebrahim Barkoudah, et al.
Citation: Open Forum Infectious Diseases, ofae197
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
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LGBTQ+ Health: Rural vs Urban Inequities
Provides a summary of recent research on rural versus urban disparities in LGBTQI+ health outcomes. Includes data on chronic conditions, mental health, and social and familial support.
Author(s): Jessica Rosencrans
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Racial, Ethnic, and Rural Disparities in Distance to Physicians among Decedents with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias in Washington State
Evaluates travel distance to the nearest neurologist and primary care physician among people whose cause of death was related to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) in the state of Washington. Utilizes 2011-2021 mortality data. Includes breakdowns of distance to care by race, ethnicity, and level of rurality. Highlights geographic access disparities experienced by American Indian, Alaska Native, and Hispanic people.
Author(s): Solmaz Amiri, Jonae I. Keffeler, Dennis R. Crain, Justin T. Denney, Dedra Buchwald
Citation: Alzheimer's & Dementia, 2024, 1-8
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
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The Nature of the Rural-Urban Mortality Gap
Examines rural-urban mortality disparities in the working-age U.S. population. Analyzes the natural-cause mortality (NCM) rate with 1999-2019 data from the Centers for Disease Control's wide-ranging online data for epidemiology research (WONDER) database according to sex, race and ethnicity, health condition, region, and state.
Author(s): Kelsey L. Thomas, Elizabeth A. Dobis, David A. McGranahan
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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The Impact of Rural General Hospital Closures on Communities—A Systematic Review of the Literature
Presents a literature review of studies on the health and economic effects hospital closures have had on rural communities. Analyzes 21 studies completed in the previous 8 years and details the economic and healthcare access outcomes identified.
Author(s): Carol A. Mills, Valerie A. Yeager, Kathleen T. Unroe, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(2), 238-248
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
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Clinical Risk and Outpatient Therapy Utilization for COVID-19 in the Medicare Population
Evaluates COVID-19 treatment disparities among Medicare beneficiaries, with comparisons by age, race and ethnicity, Medicaid eligibility, nursing home use, telemedicine use, rural/urban status, and more. Utilizes Medicare Master Beneficiary Summary and Standard Analytic Claim files for the year 2022. Provides data on rates of COVID-19 therapy use, including medication, hospitalization, and outpatient treatment. Highlights undertreatment experienced by populations with high risk of severe infection.
Author(s): Andrew D. Wilcock, Stephen Kissler, Ateev Mehrotra
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 5(1), e235044
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
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