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Rural Health Information Hub

Finding Statistics and Data Related to Rural Health – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Finding Statistics and Data Related to Rural Health.

Suicide Trends Among and Within Urbanization Levels by Sex, Race/Ethnicity, Age Group, and Mechanism of Death — United States, 2001–2015
Reports on county-level trends in suicide rates during 2001–2015 for large metropolitan, medium/small metropolitan, and nonmetro counties. Includes data by gender, race/ethnicity, and age group. Covers the mechanism of death, with data on firearms, hanging/suffocation, drug poisoning, non-drug poisoning, and other causes.
Author(s): Asha Z. Ivey-Stephenson, Alex E. Crosby, Shane P. D. Jack, Tadesse Haileyesus, Marcie-jo Kresnow-Sedacca
Citation: MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 66(18), 1-16
Date: 10/2017
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Health Conditions and Behaviors of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Persons in the United States, 2014
Offers detailed statistics on health conditions and behaviors for the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) population and for multiple and single-race NHPI populations, with comparisons to other racial groups and to the U.S. population as a whole. Topics covered include general health status, specific health conditions, disabilities, body mass index, physical activity, and substance use.
Author(s): Adena M. Galinsky, Carla E. Zelaya, Catherine Simile, Patricia M. Barnes
Citation: Vital and Health Statistics, 3(40)
Date: 07/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Invasive Cancer Incidence, 2004-2013, and Deaths, 2006-2015, in Nonmetropolitan and Metropolitan Counties — United States
Provides a comprehensive assessment of cancer incidence and deaths by cancer type in nonmetropolitan and metropolitan counties. Includes rural-urban data by sex, age, cancer site, and other demographic factors. Discusses cancer risk factor prevalence and evidence-based interventions.
Author(s): S. Jane Henley, Robert N. Anderson, Cheryll C. Thomas, et al.
Citation: MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 66(14), 1-13
Date: 07/2017
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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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
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Veterans in Rural America: 2011-2015
Reports detailed demographic, social, and economic characteristics of rural veterans, based primarily on 2011–2015 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates. Includes comparisons of rural veterans to both urban veterans and rural nonveterans. Topics addressed include health insurance coverage, disability status and service-connected disability, and use of VA healthcare.
Additional links: Rural Veterans State Tables
Author(s): Kelly Ann Holder
Date: 01/2017
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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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
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Defining Rural at the U.S. Census Bureau
An overview of how the Census Bureau has defined rural in the past, the current way urban/rural areas are identified by the Census, and the relationship between decennial censuses, the American Community Survey (ACS), and geography.
Author(s): Michael Ratcliffe, Charlynn Burd, Kelly Holder, Alison Fields
Date: 12/2016
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Exploring Data and Metrics of Value at the Intersection of Health Care and Transportation: Proceedings of a Workshop
Summarizes a June 2016 joint workshop focused on healthcare and transportation. Includes information on cross-sector collaboration to provide transportation in rural settings. Identifies data sources for understanding health-related transportation needs.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 2016
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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The Health and Well-Being of Children in Rural Areas: A Portrait of the Nation 2011–2012
Describes data from the National Survey of Children's Health demonstrating the health and well-being of children, as well as the family environment and the characteristics of the community that affect rural children and their families.
Date: 04/2015
Sponsoring organization: Maternal and Child Health Bureau
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The Value of the American Community Survey: Smart Government, Competitive Businesses, and Informed Citizens
Provides an overview of the American Community Survey (ACS) and how data from the ACS is used to inform decision-making. Discusses the importance of the ACS as a unique source of data on the demographic and economic characteristics of rural areas. Includes examples of how rural data from the ACS is used by federal agencies, academic researchers, state government, and rural communities.
Author(s): Regina Powers, David Beede, Rudy Telles, Jr.
Date: 04/2015
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Commerce
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Last Updated: 4/14/2025