Research Alert: February 7, 2023

Rural Population Health in the United States: A Chartbook

This chartbook presents variations in U.S. population health in rural areas across all Census regions and states. Where the data allow, the chartbook also presents rural population health findings stratified by sex, race, and ethnicity. A range of indicators are used to describe population health in rural America and document health disparities between rural and urban areas. Thirty-three measures of population health are organized into five domains: Access to Care, Health Outcomes and Risks, Mortality, Social Determinants of Health, and Socioeconomics.

The goal of this chartbook is to provide data that are useful for State Offices of Rural Health, county health departments, local hospitals, and other local health leaders. While there are numerous data sources and chartbooks available, these sources are not usually designed to highlight rural-urban disparities in population health. Additionally, little research has been conducted comparing the health of individuals residing in rural areas by race and ethnicity. However, research has consistently documented that populations of different races and ethnicities face different health risks, access to health care, and realize different health outcomes, suggesting that additional and more rigorous analyses of racial disparities are urgently needed.

Additional Resources of Interest:

• More information about the North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
• More information from the Rural Health Information Hub's topic guides: Chronic Disease, Healthcare Access, Rural Health Disparities, Social Determinants of Health