Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Social Determinants of Health for Rural People – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Social Determinants of Health for Rural People.

Poverty and Employment Indicators for Nonmetro Counties by Educational Attainment, 2009-14
Bar chart comparing rural counties where 20% or more of the adult population lack a high school diploma to other rural counties, for poverty, child poverty, and unemployment.
Date: 01/2016
Type: Chart/Graph
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
view details
Rural Water Infrastructure: Federal Agencies Provide Funding but Could Increase Coordination to Help Communities
Discusses the issues impacting rural water and wastewater systems, including the need to upgrade aging and obsolete infrastructure. Identifies federal agencies that provide funding and technical assistance to rural communities related to drinking water and wastewater.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 02/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
The Social Determinants of Health of Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity: A Research Framework
Examines the social determinants of health related to childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes from a Native perspective, considering historical trauma, self-determination, and cultural factors. Looks at currently available information, identifies gaps, and provides a research framework to help build a better understanding of the causes of child obesity among Native Americans.
Date: 2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Notah Begay III Foundation
view details
Rural Healthy People 2020: A Companion Document to Healthy People 2020, Volume 2
Provides a rural focus for the Healthy People 2020 priorities with an overview for each of the top health priorities ranked 11 through 20 identified by rural stakeholders. (Volume 1 discussed the top 10 priorities.) Topics include: cancer, health education, oral health, immunizations and infectious disease, public health, sexual health and family planning, injury and violence prevention, and social determinants of health. Includes reviews of the relevant literature and model programs appropriate for rural communities. Document is available for free download, after providing brief information about intended use.
Author(s): Jane N. Bolin, Gail Bellamy, Alva O. Ferdinand, Bita Kash, Janet W. Helduser
Date: 2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
view details
Rural Healthy People 2020: A Companion Document to Healthy People 2020, Volume 1
Provides a rural focus for the Healthy People 2020 priorities. Includes overviews of the top 10 rural health priority areas identified by rural stakeholders. (Volume 2 discusses priorities 11-20.) Topics addressed include: health insurance, primary care, emergency services, nutrition and weight status, diabetes, mental health, substance abuse, heart disease and stroke, physical activity, older adults, maternal and child health, and tobacco use. Each overview includes reviews of the relevant literature and models that rural communities can use to address the issues. Document is available for free download, after providing brief information about intended use.
Author(s): Jane N. Bolin, Gail Bellamy, Alva O. Ferdinand, Bita Kash, Janet W. Helduser
Date: 2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
view details
Homelessness in Rural America
Discusses the unique needs and characteristics of individuals and families experiencing homelessness in rural America. Makes recommendation to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on ways to improve access to healthcare and other human services for America's rural homeless populations.
Date: 07/2014
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
view details
Culture as a Social Determinant of Health
Describes the role that culture plays in health for Native Americans. Discusses the importance of cultural competence for healthcare providers, and includes recommendations for healthcare providers and policymakers.
Author(s): James Knibb-Lamouche
Date: 11/2012
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
view details
Strengths and Silences: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students in Rural and Small Town Schools
A report compiled by the Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) that examines safety, harassment, and assault of LGBT students in rural schools based on data collected in the GLSEN's National School Climate Survey (2010-2011). Includes demographics broken down by gender identity, race, sexual orientation, age, region, school type, and school size.
Author(s): Neal A. Palmer, Joseph G. Kosciw, Mark J. Bartkiewicz
Date: 2012
Type: Document
view details
The Geography of Need: Identifying Human Service Needs in Rural America
Uses American Community Survey five year average county-level data to compare the type and degree of human service needs in metropolitan versus non-metropolitan counties.
Author(s): Colleen Heflin, Kathleen Miller
Date: 06/2011
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
view details
A Rural Socioeconomic Risk and Resiliency Inventory and Associated Health Outcomes
Creates an index of social and economic variables that are related to population health outcomes among rural and urban U.S. counties, and examines variability in this index across rural and urban counties.
Additional links: Policy Brief, July 2011
Author(s): Joel A. Halverson, Michael Hendryx
Date: 03/2011
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: West Virginia Rural Health Research Center
view details

Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:


Last Updated: 11/26/2024