Research Alert: January 13, 2025

Resources for Measuring Rurality in Research on Maternity Care

Definitions of rurality vary across research and policy, and these definitions directly affect health service eligibility, interpretation of research findings, and may impact health outcomes. The primary objective of this brief is to explore the complexities inherent in defining rurality in maternal health research. In addition, this brief aims to provide insights into how different measures of rurality influence research outcomes, with the goal of informing best practices in maternal health research.

Highlights:

• A critical component of addressing rural maternal health disparities is the measurement and classification of “rurality” in public health and health services research. The way rurality is defined carries important implications for public health outcomes and the applicability of research findings.
• There is no single standard for measuring rurality in maternal health research, and each measure has strengths (e.g., availability in data, practicality) and weaknesses (e.g., discordance with residents' lived experiences, complexity).
• Researchers should carefully consider which rurality measures best accomplish their aims, conduct sensitivity analyses around measurement decisions, and incorporate self-reported rurality measures when possible.

Additional Resources of Interest:

• More FORHP-funded research on Maternal health
• More information about the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
• More information from the Rural Health Information Hub's topic guide: Maternal Health