Research Alert: September 9, 2021

Changes in Socioeconomic Mix and Health Outcomes in Rural Counties with Hospital Closures, 2005-2018

This brief examines the trend of hospital closures between 2005 and 2018 across definitions of rurality. Social, economic, and health structure trends at the county level across the contiguous United States were the study's focus. Rural counties with hospital closures that occurred between 2005 and 2018 experienced greater negative economic, health, and social outcomes than did micropolitan counties.

Additional Resources of Interest:

• More information about the University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
• More information from the Rural Health Information Hub's topic guide: Healthcare Access