What is Rural? – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on What is Rural?.
Urban Bias in Rural Data Sets
Policy position paper discussing various classifications of rural, how these definitions may not accurately represent rural areas, and the potential implications for rural populations. Offers policy recommendations regarding rural data infrastructure and the allocation of resources using rural definitions.
Author(s): Leah Bouchard, Isela Garcia, Jacy Warrell
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy position paper discussing various classifications of rural, how these definitions may not accurately represent rural areas, and the potential implications for rural populations. Offers policy recommendations regarding rural data infrastructure and the allocation of resources using rural definitions.
Author(s): Leah Bouchard, Isela Garcia, Jacy Warrell
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Redefining Urban Areas Following the 2020 Census
Provides an overview of changes made to the U.S. Census Bureau urban area criteria following the 2020 Census. Covers the minimum population threshold, housing unit density, and the decision to cease distinguishing between different types of urban areas.
Author(s): Michael Ratcliffe
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Provides an overview of changes made to the U.S. Census Bureau urban area criteria following the 2020 Census. Covers the minimum population threshold, housing unit density, and the decision to cease distinguishing between different types of urban areas.
Author(s): Michael Ratcliffe
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Measuring Rurality in Health Services Research: A Scoping Review
Analyzes peer-reviewed journals between 2010 and 2020 to provide a scoping review of the different methods of rurality defined and used in health services research. Examines 103 full-text studies across various journals to observe different measures of rurality. Includes discussion about the benefits and drawbacks of the respective measures of rurality and how inconsistent use of measures impacts federal funding and the study of rural health disparities.
Author(s): Robin Danek, Justin Blackburn, Marion Greene, Olena Mazurenko, Nir Menachemi
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 22, 1340
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
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Analyzes peer-reviewed journals between 2010 and 2020 to provide a scoping review of the different methods of rurality defined and used in health services research. Examines 103 full-text studies across various journals to observe different measures of rurality. Includes discussion about the benefits and drawbacks of the respective measures of rurality and how inconsistent use of measures impacts federal funding and the study of rural health disparities.
Author(s): Robin Danek, Justin Blackburn, Marion Greene, Olena Mazurenko, Nir Menachemi
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 22, 1340
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
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Defining Census Bureau Urban Areas
Provides an overview of how the Census Bureau defines urban and rural areas. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Provides an overview of how the Census Bureau defines urban and rural areas. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Defining Rural America: The Consequences of How We Count
Discusses several federal definitions of rural and the implications of using different definitions. Compares how U.S. Census Bureau and Office Management and Budget (OMB) characterize rural America. Offers principles on how to choose which definition to use to describe rural areas.
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center on Rural Innovation
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Discusses several federal definitions of rural and the implications of using different definitions. Compares how U.S. Census Bureau and Office Management and Budget (OMB) characterize rural America. Offers principles on how to choose which definition to use to describe rural areas.
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center on Rural Innovation
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Definition and Categorization of Rural and Assessment of Realized Access to Care
Examines Health Information National Trends Survey data to determine how 3 different definitions of rural change healthcare utilization, perceived quality, and perceived provider attentiveness metrics. Considers Urban Influence Codes (UIC), Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC), and Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA).
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Natalie Del Vecchio, Natoshia Askelson, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 57(3), 693-702
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
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Examines Health Information National Trends Survey data to determine how 3 different definitions of rural change healthcare utilization, perceived quality, and perceived provider attentiveness metrics. Considers Urban Influence Codes (UIC), Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC), and Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA).
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Natalie Del Vecchio, Natoshia Askelson, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 57(3), 693-702
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
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How to Apply to Become a National Health Service Corps Site
Webinar recording discusses the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and how rural healthcare facilities can become a NHSC site. Features presentations from representatives of Health Resources and Services Administration, the Bureau of Health Workforce, and 3RNET.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Webinar recording discusses the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and how rural healthcare facilities can become a NHSC site. Features presentations from representatives of Health Resources and Services Administration, the Bureau of Health Workforce, and 3RNET.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Reimagining Rural: Shifting Paradigms About Health and Well-Being in the Rural United States
Discusses ways to address health disparities in rural areas with a focus on shifting away from the deficit narrative of rural places. Explores definitions of rural, the diversity and intersectionality of rural citizens, and how to conduct participatory community research to promote partnerships and health equity in rural communities.
Author(s): R.A. Afifi, E.A. Parker, G. Dino, D.M. Hall, B. Ulin
Citation: Annual Review of Public Health, 43, 135-154
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
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Discusses ways to address health disparities in rural areas with a focus on shifting away from the deficit narrative of rural places. Explores definitions of rural, the diversity and intersectionality of rural citizens, and how to conduct participatory community research to promote partnerships and health equity in rural communities.
Author(s): R.A. Afifi, E.A. Parker, G. Dino, D.M. Hall, B. Ulin
Citation: Annual Review of Public Health, 43, 135-154
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
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Urban Area Criteria for the 2020 Census-Final Criteria
Outlines the final criteria for defining urban areas based on the 2020 decennial census. Adopts a housing unit density threshold of 385 housing units per square mile as the primary criterion for determining whether a census block qualifies for inclusion in an urban area and that an area will qualify as urban if it contains at least 2,000 housing units or has a population of at least 5,000. Explains that the Census Bureau will no longer differentiate urbanized areas from smaller urban areas.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Outlines the final criteria for defining urban areas based on the 2020 decennial census. Adopts a housing unit density threshold of 385 housing units per square mile as the primary criterion for determining whether a census block qualifies for inclusion in an urban area and that an area will qualify as urban if it contains at least 2,000 housing units or has a population of at least 5,000. Explains that the Census Bureau will no longer differentiate urbanized areas from smaller urban areas.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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List of Rural Counties and Designated Eligible Census Tracts in Metropolitan Counties
Identifies areas with geographic eligibility for Federal Office of Rural Health Policy grant programs. Lists rural counties, rural census tracts within metropolitan counties, and outlying metropolitan counties without an Urbanized Area.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
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Identifies areas with geographic eligibility for Federal Office of Rural Health Policy grant programs. Lists rural counties, rural census tracts within metropolitan counties, and outlying metropolitan counties without an Urbanized Area.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
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Last Updated: 4/12/2024