Rural Health Disparities – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Health Disparities.
Common Problems, Common Solutions: Looking Across Sectors at Strategies for Supporting Rural Youth and Families Tool-Kit
Provides an overview of barriers faced by rural communities in supporting youth and families, and innovative strategies to improve outcomes for youth, families, and communities. Informed by interviews and listening sessions with practitioners and leaders working in rural areas across the United States.
Author(s): Lisa Pilnik, Christine Humowitz
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organizations: Georgetown University Center for Juvenile Justice Reform, U.S. Department of Justice
view details
Provides an overview of barriers faced by rural communities in supporting youth and families, and innovative strategies to improve outcomes for youth, families, and communities. Informed by interviews and listening sessions with practitioners and leaders working in rural areas across the United States.
Author(s): Lisa Pilnik, Christine Humowitz
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organizations: Georgetown University Center for Juvenile Justice Reform, U.S. Department of Justice
view details
Rural–Urban Disparities in Mortality and Place of Death for Gastrointestinal Cancer in the United States From 2003 to 2019
A research letter that examines age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) from gastrointestinal cancer in large metro, medium/small metro, and rural areas. Analyzes 2,490,412 AAMR records between 2013 and 2019 utilizing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC Wonder) database. Provides breakdowns of AAMR data by age, sex, race/ethnicity, cancer type, urbanicity, and location of death, such as nursing facility, hospice facility, medical facility, or home.
Author(s): S. M. Qasim Hussaini, Amanda L. Blackford, Nivedita Arora, et al.
Citation: Gastroenterology, 163(6), 1676-1678
Date: 12/2022
view details
A research letter that examines age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) from gastrointestinal cancer in large metro, medium/small metro, and rural areas. Analyzes 2,490,412 AAMR records between 2013 and 2019 utilizing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC Wonder) database. Provides breakdowns of AAMR data by age, sex, race/ethnicity, cancer type, urbanicity, and location of death, such as nursing facility, hospice facility, medical facility, or home.
Author(s): S. M. Qasim Hussaini, Amanda L. Blackford, Nivedita Arora, et al.
Citation: Gastroenterology, 163(6), 1676-1678
Date: 12/2022
view details
Streamlining Research Access
Features an interview with Per Ostmo, Program Director of the Rural Health Research Gateway. Discusses the mission of the Gateway and highlights some of the research projects rural health research centers (RHRCs) have undertaken. Highlights some challenges facing rural healthcare delivery and points to some conclusions drawn from RHRC research.
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Physician Publishing, Inc.
view details
Features an interview with Per Ostmo, Program Director of the Rural Health Research Gateway. Discusses the mission of the Gateway and highlights some of the research projects rural health research centers (RHRCs) have undertaken. Highlights some challenges facing rural healthcare delivery and points to some conclusions drawn from RHRC research.
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Physician Publishing, Inc.
view details
Health, Work, and Care in Rural America
Report examining rural access to paid leave from work, the economic impacts of limited access to paid leave, and distances to hospital-based and skilled nursing care. Offers a broad view of rural economic and health dynamics, travel burdens to access hospital-based care, and presents policy recommendations to address paid leave as a social determinant of health.
Author(s): Vicki Shabo, Hannah Friedman
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: New America
view details
Report examining rural access to paid leave from work, the economic impacts of limited access to paid leave, and distances to hospital-based and skilled nursing care. Offers a broad view of rural economic and health dynamics, travel burdens to access hospital-based care, and presents policy recommendations to address paid leave as a social determinant of health.
Author(s): Vicki Shabo, Hannah Friedman
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: New America
view details
Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health: Current Status and Efforts to Address Them
Issue brief examining racial disparities in access to maternal and infant healthcare, noting disparities in rural communities. Presents data from various sources on birth risks and outcomes, infant mortality, teen pregnancy, and other maternal health topics by race/ethnicity, including American Indian and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander populations.
Author(s): Latoya Hill, Samantha Artiga, Usha Ranji
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Issue brief examining racial disparities in access to maternal and infant healthcare, noting disparities in rural communities. Presents data from various sources on birth risks and outcomes, infant mortality, teen pregnancy, and other maternal health topics by race/ethnicity, including American Indian and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander populations.
Author(s): Latoya Hill, Samantha Artiga, Usha Ranji
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
QuickStats: Age-Adjusted Death Rates for Stroke Among Adults Aged ≥ 65 Years, by Region and Metropolitan Status — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2020
Bar chart showing stroke death rates among adults 65 and older, overall and for metropolitan and nonmetro areas. Includes data for the U.S. as a whole as well as by region for the Northeast, Midwest, South, and West.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(43), 1386
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Bar chart showing stroke death rates among adults 65 and older, overall and for metropolitan and nonmetro areas. Includes data for the U.S. as a whole as well as by region for the Northeast, Midwest, South, and West.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(43), 1386
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Urban–Rural Disparities in Diabetes-Related Mortality in the USA 1999–2019
Examines 20-year trends in diabetes-related mortality in urban and rural areas in the United States. Analyzes 6,598,281 death certificates that name diabetes mellitus as an underlying or contributing cause of death between 1999 and 2019, utilizing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging ONline Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) Multiple Cause of Death database. Includes demographic breakdowns of urban versus rural mortality data by sex, age, and race/ethnicity.
Author(s): Ofer Kobo, Harriette G. C. Van Spall, Mamas A. Mamas
Citation: Diabetologia, 65, 2078-2083
Date: 09/2022
view details
Examines 20-year trends in diabetes-related mortality in urban and rural areas in the United States. Analyzes 6,598,281 death certificates that name diabetes mellitus as an underlying or contributing cause of death between 1999 and 2019, utilizing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging ONline Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) Multiple Cause of Death database. Includes demographic breakdowns of urban versus rural mortality data by sex, age, and race/ethnicity.
Author(s): Ofer Kobo, Harriette G. C. Van Spall, Mamas A. Mamas
Citation: Diabetologia, 65, 2078-2083
Date: 09/2022
view details
Rural and Urban Women Have Differing Sexual and Reproductive Health Experiences
Explores the healthcare disparities women aged 15 to 49 experience related to sexual and reproductive health. Analyzes 2015-2019 data from the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) to investigate contraceptive use in 1,128 rural residents and 6,007 urban residents. Includes rural versus urban demographic breakdowns according to race/ethnicity, nativity, income, education, LGB+ identity, and history of/plans for having children.
Author(s): Emma Pliskin, Kate Welti, Jennifer Manlove
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: Child Trends
view details
Explores the healthcare disparities women aged 15 to 49 experience related to sexual and reproductive health. Analyzes 2015-2019 data from the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) to investigate contraceptive use in 1,128 rural residents and 6,007 urban residents. Includes rural versus urban demographic breakdowns according to race/ethnicity, nativity, income, education, LGB+ identity, and history of/plans for having children.
Author(s): Emma Pliskin, Kate Welti, Jennifer Manlove
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: Child Trends
view details
Preserving Independence among Under-Resourced Older Adults in the Southeastern United States: Existing Barriers and Potential Strategies for Research
Literature review examining barriers to independent aging in the Southeast, including physical, mental, and social challenges related to chronic conditions, health disparities, and access to care. Includes a section on barriers for older adults in rural areas of the Southeast.
Author(s): Ene M. Enogela, Taylor Buchanan, Christy S. Carter, et al.
Citation: International Journal for Equity in Health, 21, 119
Date: 08/2022
view details
Literature review examining barriers to independent aging in the Southeast, including physical, mental, and social challenges related to chronic conditions, health disparities, and access to care. Includes a section on barriers for older adults in rural areas of the Southeast.
Author(s): Ene M. Enogela, Taylor Buchanan, Christy S. Carter, et al.
Citation: International Journal for Equity in Health, 21, 119
Date: 08/2022
view details
Rural-Urban Disparities in Place of Death in Hematologic Malignancies in the United States, 2003 to 2019
Examines place of death (POD) by home, hospice, or nursing/medical facility due to hematologic malignancy mortalities that occurred between 2013 and 2019. Analyzes 1,009,717 deaths recorded in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) database and breaks down POD by large metropolitan, medium/small metropolitan, and rural metropolitan. Discusses disparities in urban and rural community access to end-of-life resources.
Author(s): S. M. Qasim Hussaini, Amanda L. Blackford, Arjun Gupta, et al.
Citation: Blood Advances, 6(16), 4731-4734
Date: 08/2022
view details
Examines place of death (POD) by home, hospice, or nursing/medical facility due to hematologic malignancy mortalities that occurred between 2013 and 2019. Analyzes 1,009,717 deaths recorded in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) database and breaks down POD by large metropolitan, medium/small metropolitan, and rural metropolitan. Discusses disparities in urban and rural community access to end-of-life resources.
Author(s): S. M. Qasim Hussaini, Amanda L. Blackford, Arjun Gupta, et al.
Citation: Blood Advances, 6(16), 4731-4734
Date: 08/2022
view details
Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
- Appalachia
- Delta Region
- Health disparities
- Rural-urban differences
- The South
- U.S.-Mexico Border Region
Last Updated: 2/20/2025