Rural Health Disparities – Resources

Disparities in Continuous Glucose Monitor Use Between Children With Type 1 Diabetes Living in Urban and Rural Areas
Examines the uptake of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology in children with type 1 diabetes. Utilizes 2018-2021 electronic health record (EHR) data to observe CGM use according to patient sex, race/ethnicity, age, insurance type, and rurality. Discusses disparities among rural and urban populations.
Author(s): Daniel R. Tilden, Benjamin French, Karishma A. Datye, Sarah S. Jaser
Citation: Diabetes Care, 47(3), 346-352
Date: 03/2024
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, 20(5), 3671–3678
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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Are There Place-Based Disparities in Mortality Risk? Findings From Two Longitudinal Studies
Analyzes the relationship between place and all-cause mortality by utilizing individual-level data spanning up to 29 years. Utilizes data from 2 longitudinal studies to examine mortality risk of rural, suburban, and urban groups across racial and sociodemographic categories.
Author(s): Olivia E. Atherton
Citation: Health Psychology, 43(9), 639-649
Date: 01/2024
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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Unequal Treatment Revisited - The Current State of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care: Proceedings of a Workshop
Highlights the proceedings of a workshop on addressing racial and ethnic disparities and equitable healthcare delivery. Presents care perspectives for American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities, among others. Discusses health equity research strategies and challenges.
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Public Health Implications of 911 Calls During Heat and Smoke Events
Highlights a study exploring rates of 911 calls related to extreme heat and wildfire related smoke incidents in Missoula County, MT. Differentiates calls within the county by Census tract to identify rural versus urban callers and breaks down the data by average temperature, average particulate matter, and demographic details of callers, among other measures.
Author(s): Christina S. Barsky, Lauren K. McKeague, M. Blake Emidy
Citation: Natural Hazards Center Public Health Disaster Research Report Series, Report 42
Date: 2024
Type: Document
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The Role of Comorbidities, Medications, and Social Determinants of Health in Understanding Urban-Rural Outcome Differences among Patients with Heart Failure
Analyzes health outcomes for patients with heart failure and mitigating factors such as comorbidities, guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT), and social determinants of health (SDOH) in rural versus urban areas. Utilizes data from Medicare beneficiaries who had a heart failure hospitalization between 2008 to 2017 to observe mortality rates within 30 days or 1 year, hospital readmission rates, and emergency room (ER) admissions. Discusses health outcome disparities that correlate to patient location.
Author(s): Emily P. Zeitler, Joanna Joly, Christopher G. Leggett, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(2), 386-393
Date: 2024
Type: Document
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