Research Alert: November 20, 2023

Webinar Recording Available: How Does the Definition of "Rural" Impact Research?

Access Archived Webinar Resources

• Play the recording on YouTube
• View the slide deck
• View the transcript
• View on website

The United States Census Bureau (Census) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) each have their own definition of "rural." However, both Census and OMB definitions present measurement challenges, with the Census overcounting the number of people in rural areas while the OMB undercounts them. To overcome these measurement challenges, the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) incorporates Rural-Urban Commuting Area codes to create a more nuanced definition of "rural."

During this webinar, Dr. Janice Probst and Dr. George Pink shared recent research from the FORHP-funded Rural Health Research Centers to highlight the importance of rural definitions and how those definitions impact research. Our presenters provided advice for "What should I take into account when determining rural definitions for my research study?" and "As a non-researcher, what should I look for in rural definitions when reading a study or brief?"

Presenters

Additional Resources of Interest:

• More information about the North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
• More information about the Rural and Minority Health Research Center