Rural-Urban Trends in the Burden of Diabetes Among U.S. Adults

This brief provides an updated analysis of diabetes incidence, prevalence, and mortality across rural and urban counties. The National Health Interview Survey (2021, 2022, and 2023) provided diabetes incidence and prevalence data. CDC Wonder provided diabetes mortality data.

Key Terms:

• Diabetes Incidence: The number of new cases of diabetes occurring in a population over a specific time period. Incidence helps identify risk and causes of disease and evaluate prevention efforts.
• Diabetes Prevalence: The total number of existing cases of diabetes in a population at a given time. Prevalence reflects the overall burden of disease and informs healthcare planning and resource allocation.

Key Points:

• New cases of diabetes in rural America nearly doubled from 5.63% in 2021 to 11.37% by 2023.
• Diabetes-related mortality remains elevated in rural counties, especially in Southeastern states.