Social Determinants of Health for Rural People – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Social Determinants of Health for Rural People.
Exploring the Intersection of Rural Housing Quality and Health: Healthcare Providers and Housing Experts Provide Insight
Focuses on rural housing quality as a social determinant of health. Describes how healthcare, housing, and public health organizations can work together to address housing issues and improve population health. Features a Vermont healthcare system and several national programs working to address rural housing quality.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Focuses on rural housing quality as a social determinant of health. Describes how healthcare, housing, and public health organizations can work together to address housing issues and improve population health. Features a Vermont healthcare system and several national programs working to address rural housing quality.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Disparities in Educational Attainment by Race, Ethnicity Persist in Rural America
Stacked bar chart comparing educational attainment in 2000 and 2019 for rural adults age 25 and older. Each bar shows the portion of the population with an educational attainment of below high school; high school, some college, or associate's degree; and bachelor's degree or higher.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Stacked bar chart comparing educational attainment in 2000 and 2019 for rural adults age 25 and older. Each bar shows the portion of the population with an educational attainment of below high school; high school, some college, or associate's degree; and bachelor's degree or higher.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Opportunities in Medicaid and CHIP to Address Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)
Describes services and supports that can be covered by Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) to address social determinants of health (SDOH). Discusses federal authorities and other opportunities that states can utilize to address SDOH through Medicaid and CHIP, including through Rural Health Clinics (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). Appendix B highlights examples of services and supports and the corresponding federal authorities that could be used to cover each.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Describes services and supports that can be covered by Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) to address social determinants of health (SDOH). Discusses federal authorities and other opportunities that states can utilize to address SDOH through Medicaid and CHIP, including through Rural Health Clinics (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). Appendix B highlights examples of services and supports and the corresponding federal authorities that could be used to cover each.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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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
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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
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Extreme Poverty Counties Found Solely in Rural Areas in 2018
Examines high and extreme poverty areas by rural and urban county designation. Includes a map showing rural high poverty and extreme poverty counties and urban high poverty counties. Discusses the geographic concentration of extreme poverty in regions with above-average populations of racial minorities, highlighting 6 counties in South Dakota with a large Native American population and 4 counties in Mississippi with historically high poverty rates among African Americans.
Author(s): Tracey Farrigan
Citation: Amber Waves
Date: 05/2020
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Examines high and extreme poverty areas by rural and urban county designation. Includes a map showing rural high poverty and extreme poverty counties and urban high poverty counties. Discusses the geographic concentration of extreme poverty in regions with above-average populations of racial minorities, highlighting 6 counties in South Dakota with a large Native American population and 4 counties in Mississippi with historically high poverty rates among African Americans.
Author(s): Tracey Farrigan
Citation: Amber Waves
Date: 05/2020
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Many Rural Americans Are Still "Left Behind"
An overview of trends in rural poverty from 1959 through 2016. Discusses how rural and urban poverty are different. Highlights changes in education and employment and data on rural child poverty.
Date: 01/2020
Sponsoring organization: University of Wisconsin–Madison Institute for Research on Poverty
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An overview of trends in rural poverty from 1959 through 2016. Discusses how rural and urban poverty are different. Highlights changes in education and employment and data on rural child poverty.
Date: 01/2020
Sponsoring organization: University of Wisconsin–Madison Institute for Research on Poverty
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A Rising Tide: Increasing Rural Local Health Department Capacity to Address the Social Determinants of Health
Describes unique challenges faced by rural local health departments (LHDs), as well as assets such as community connectivity and trusted local institutions. Explores the ways in which partnerships, leadership, community engagement, data and evaluation, and community health improvement planning function as foundational elements in addressing social determinants of health in rural communities.
Author(s): Karla Feeser, Melissa Mayer, Ashley Edmiston
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Describes unique challenges faced by rural local health departments (LHDs), as well as assets such as community connectivity and trusted local institutions. Explores the ways in which partnerships, leadership, community engagement, data and evaluation, and community health improvement planning function as foundational elements in addressing social determinants of health in rural communities.
Author(s): Karla Feeser, Melissa Mayer, Ashley Edmiston
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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The Rural-ness of Social Isolation: Information from Recent Public Health Research
Dr. Carrie Henning-Smith, deputy director of the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center, explains how social isolation and loneliness impact rural Americans, based on information from her team's recent studies.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Dr. Carrie Henning-Smith, deputy director of the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center, explains how social isolation and loneliness impact rural Americans, based on information from her team's recent studies.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Social Isolation and Loneliness: Insights from Rural Clinical Providers and Other Experts
Provides an overview of social isolation and loneliness and the factors, such as limited transportation options, that can contribute to these problems in rural areas. Includes discussion of social risk assessments. Features rural clinicians, researchers, and other experts sharing their perspectives on addressing these concerns.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Provides an overview of social isolation and loneliness and the factors, such as limited transportation options, that can contribute to these problems in rural areas. Includes discussion of social risk assessments. Features rural clinicians, researchers, and other experts sharing their perspectives on addressing these concerns.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Running Clear: Preventing Private Water Sources from Becoming a Health Hazard in Rural America
Provides an overview of the potential contaminants in well water and describes how the safety of private water sources is maintained. Features water experts and a public health professional explaining what can be done to keep well water clean, including water testing, education and training, funding, and technical assistance.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Provides an overview of the potential contaminants in well water and describes how the safety of private water sources is maintained. Features water experts and a public health professional explaining what can be done to keep well water clean, including water testing, education and training, funding, and technical assistance.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
- Educational attainment
- Employment and unemployment
- Environmental health
- Health literacy
- Housing and homelessness
- Income
- Infrastructure
- Poverty
- Social determinants of health
Last Updated: 7/9/2025