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Rural Health Disparities – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Health Disparities.

Assessing Diabetes and Factors Associated with Foregoing Medical Care among Persons with Diabetes: Disparities Facing American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, Hispanic, Low Income, and Southern Adults in the U.S. (2011-2015)
Identifies trends in care of and prevalence of diabetes in terms of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, and explores individual and community factors related to diabetes and diabetics' unmet medical needs. Features statistics on percentages of adults diagnosed with diabetes from 2011-2015 and distribution of diabetes and foregone medical care, with breakdowns including race or ethnicity, income, and levels of rurality.
Author(s): Samuel D. Towne, Jr., Jane Bolin, Alva Ferdinand, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(5), 464
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
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Prevalence of Arthritis and Arthritis-Attributable Activity Limitation by Urban-Rural County Classification — United States, 2015
Provides detailed data on prevalence of arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation for six urban-rural categories. Includes urban-rural data by age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, employment, body mass index, smoking status, physical activity, self-rated health, and functionally disabled status.
Author(s): Michael A. Boring, Jennifer M. Hootman, Yong Liu, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 66(20), 527-532
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Extending Work on Rural Health Disparities: A Commentary on Matthews and Colleagues' Report
Commentary on the CDC MMWR report, Health-Related Behaviors by Urban-Rural County Classification — United States, 2013. Discusses the value of the data provided in the report, which highlights health-related behaviors for six geographic levels. Offers recommendations to build on this work.
Author(s): Paul A. Gilbert, Helena H. Laroche, Robert B. Wallace, Edith A. Parker, Susan J. Curry
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
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Differences in Health Care, Family, and Community Factors Associated with Mental, Behavioral, and Developmental Disorders Among Children Aged 2–8 Years in Rural and Urban Areas — United States, 2011–2012
Provides rural and urban data on a variety of health-related factors for children 2-8 years of age with and without mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders. Topics addressed include demographics, health insurance coverage, having a medical home, parental mental health, family financial difficulties, and community factors.
Author(s): Lara R. Robinson, Joseph R. Holbrook, Rebecca H. Bitsko, et al.
Citation: MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 66(8), 1-11
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Early Death After Discharge From Emergency Departments: Analysis of National US Insurance Claims Data
Report regarding the incidence of early death after release from emergency departments in the United States and what risk factors may contribute to those deaths. Compares urban and rural hospital location, with data for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural non-CAHs. Includes data for rural and urban populations as well as poverty level, previous healthcare use, and other demographics.
Author(s): Ziad Obermeyer, Brent Cohn, Michael Wilson, Anupam B Jena, David M Cutler
Citation: BMJ, 356(j239)
Date: 02/2017
Type: Document
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Health-Related Behaviors by Urban-Rural County Classification — United States, 2013
Provides data on five self-reported health-related behaviors for residents of rural and urban areas. Behaviors include sufficient sleep, current nonsmoking, nondrinking or moderate drinking, maintaining normal body weight, and meeting aerobic leisure time physical activity recommendations. Includes data for each behavior for metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore (rural) areas, as well as prevalence of 4-5 health behaviors by sex, age, race/ethnicity, and education level. Based on 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data.
Author(s): Kevin A. Matthews, Janet B. Croft, Yong Liu, et al.
Citation: MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 66(5), 1-8
Date: 02/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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State Data Accompanying MMWR Surveillance Summary 66 (No. SS-1): 1-8: Potentially Excess Deaths from the Five Leading Causes of Death in Nonmetropolitan and Metropolitan Areas, United States, 2005-2015
Interactive data visualization that provides state-level metropolitan and non-metro data on expected and potentially excess deaths from cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, heart disease, stroke, and unintentional injury. Under the Options heading, select "Numbers of Potentially Excess Deaths by State" or "Potentially Excess and Expected Deaths by State and Locality" to access the data.
Citation: MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 66(SS-1), 1-8
Date: 01/2017
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Leading Causes of Death in Nonmetropolitan and Metropolitan Areas — United States, 1999–2014
Investigates the differences in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan regions of the U.S. for the 5 leading causes of death (heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke) by analyzing and comparing mortality data derived from the National Vital Statistics System. Discusses the trends in annual age-adjusted death rates for unintentional injury for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas of the U.S.
Additional links: Supplemental Maps: Figure 5, Supplemental Tables: Figures 2-5
Author(s): Ernest Moy, Macarena C. Garcia, Brigham Bastian, et al.
Citation: MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 66(1), 1-8
Date: 01/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity
Identifies elements of effective solutions to advance health equity at the local or community level. Featured examples include the Delta Health Center, a rural Federally Qualified Health Center that uses a community-oriented primary care model to address population health. A brief overview of rural health disparities which includes a discussion on Appalachian health is found on pages 2-19 and 2-20. Appendix A provides a historical and legal context for understanding Native American health disparities.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Committee on Community Based Solutions to Promote Health Equity in the United States
Date: 01/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Considering Culture: Building the Best Evidence-Based Practices for Children of Color
Examines how culture impacts the effectiveness of evidence-based practices in communities of color, suggests how efficacy may be improved, and presents case studies of successful evidence-based programs for children of color. Discusses the Strong African American Families (SAAF) program in Georgia and gives a rural perspective to the issue.
Date: 2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Annie E. Casey Foundation
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Last Updated: 6/3/2024