Cesarean Section Patterns in Rural Hospitals

Date
11/2004
Description

Examines childbirth delivery patterns in rural hospitals and compares the cesarean section (c-section) rate in rural hospitals to that in urban hospitals. The c-section rate for rural hospitals was well above the 10-15% rate recommended by the World Health Organization, and was higher (but not statistically significant) in rural hospitals than in urban hospitals. A Findings Brief on this topic is also available.

Center
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Authors
Sandra Greene, George Holmes, Rebecca Slifkin, Victoria Freeman, H. Ann Howard