Rural Health Disparities – Resources

Mortality in Rural Areas: Insights from National Research and Community-Based Initiatives
Webinar recording discusses mortality rates in rural and urban areas, as well as the causes of rural mortality. Features presentations from representatives of the Health Resources and Services Administration, the National Center for Health Statistics, and the Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug & Alcohol Commission.
Additional links: Audio Recording, PowerPoint Handout, Webinar Transcript
Date: 11/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Telehealth in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Rural Health Disparities
Investigates the potential effects of telehealth implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic on rural health disparities. Includes discussion on telehealth initiatives and barriers to accessing broadband, and provides recommendations for researchers and policymakers.
Author(s): Kelly A. Hirko, Jean M. Kerver, Sabrina Ford, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 27(11), 1816–1818
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
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Rural Legal Deserts Are a Critical Health Determinant
Highlights the role attorneys play in addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) during the COVID-19 pandemic and how their absence in rural areas exacerbates SDOH. Discusses the concept of "legal deserts" in rural areas, how they affect SDOH, and how things have changed during the pandemic.
Author(s): Michele Statz, Paula Termuhlen
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 110(10), 1519-1522
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
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The U.S. Rural Mortality Penalty is Wide and Growing
Policy brief examining rural-urban differences in mortality rates among non-Hispanic White people from 1990-2018. Features statistics with breakdowns by age group, sex, metropolitan and nonmetropolitan location, cause of death, and mortality rate per 100,000 people.
Author(s): Shannon M. Monnat
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Aging and Policy Studies, Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion
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Health Equity Report 2019-2020: Special Feature on Housing and Health Inequalities
Provides an overview of the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) program efforts in reducing health disparities and promoting health equity for various populations at the national, state, and local levels. Chapter 10 addresses rural-urban health disparities, with a focus on rural housing inequities and the opioid epidemic, and describes Federal Office of Rural Health Policy programs.
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Rural/Urban Differences in Children's Health
Examines differences in child health conditions by rural and urban residency. Explores differences in mental and behavioral health, weight status and physical activity, adverse childhood experiences, and access to healthcare.
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Maternal and Child Health Bureau
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Half of Rural Residents at High Risk of Serious Illness Due to COVID-19, Creating Stress on Rural Hospitals
Highlights a study on the risk of hospitalization due to a serious illness caused by COVID-19 in rural communities. Compares rural areas with metro and micropolitan areas. Makes policy recommendations regarding supply chain and financial assistance policies.
Author(s): Brystana G. Kaufman, Rebecca Whitaker, George Pink, G. Mark Holmes
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 36(4), 584-590
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
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Rural-Urban Mortality Disparities: Variations Across Causes of Death and Race/Ethnicity, 2013–2017
Examines rural-urban disparities in mortality and leading causes of death across racial/ethnic groups between 2013-2017. Analyzes data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) and CDC Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER).
Author(s): Janice C. Probst, Whitney E. Zahnd, Peiyin Hung, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 110(9), 1325-1327
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
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Stress and Physical Activity in Rural Cancer Survivors: The Moderating Role of Social Support
Details a study on the relationship between social support, leisure-time physical activity, and psychological distress among rural and urban cancer survivors. Breaks down data by age, gender, and cancer type, among other measures.
Author(s): Scherezade K. Mama, Nishat Bhuiyan, Joshua Smyth, Kathryn H. Schmitz
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 36(4), 543-548
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
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A Century Later: Rural Public Health's Enduring Challenges and Opportunities
Discusses rural health disparities that have persisted over the past century, with information on infectious disease, access to healthcare, maternal and child health, and racial health disparities in the United States. Discusses public health challenges and solutions for rural communities.
Author(s): Erika Ziller, Carly Milkowski
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, e1-e9
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
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