Rural Health
Research Gateway

Gabriel Benavidez, PhD, MPH

University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center

Email: gabriel_benavidez@baylor.edu

Public Health
Baylor University

Completed Projects - (4)

  • Changes in Medicare Fee-for-Services Health Care Expenditures in Rural and Urban Communities after Passage of the Affordable Care Act
    This project assessed changes in Medicare per-beneficiary spending across rural and urban counties from 2007 to 2020. It examined differences in rural versus urban per-beneficiary spending on hospital inpatient, hospital outpatient, physician, and post-acute care after the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
    Research center: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
    Topics: Care management, Chronic diseases and conditions, Health services, Hospitals and clinics, Public health
  • Examining Rural-Urban Differences in Availability of Hospital Cardiac Testing Services Between 2010-2020
    This project will examine whether the availability of hospital-based cardiac testing services has changed over the past ten years in rural and urban counties and identify the characteristics of counties where service availability has changed.
    Research center: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
    Topics: Care management, Chronic diseases and conditions, Health services, Hospitals and clinics, Public health
  • Identifying High-Need Counties for Resource Planning
    The primary aim of this project was to use data examining health care infrastructure, chronic disease prevalence, and the socioeconomic environment to create a metric for classifying rural counties based on needs and resources.
    Research center: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
    Topics: Chronic diseases and conditions, Diabetes, Healthcare access, Maternal health, Obesity, Oral health, Physicians, Poverty, Public health, Rural statistics and demographics, Social determinants of health, Uninsured and underinsured, Workforce
  • The Rural Landscape of Diabetes in the United States
    Rural-urban differences in diabetes and diabetes management may be attributed to socioeconomic differences and treatment available to rural residents. Using data from 2021-2024 National Health Interview Survey, this study examined 1) rural-urban differences in diabetes and prediabetes incidence and prevalence, 2) rural-urban differences in the management, treatment, and complications associated with diabetes, and co-occurring risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
    Research center: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
    Topics: Diabetes, Healthcare access, Rural statistics and demographics

Publications - (6)

2026

  • Geographic and Sociodemographic Patterns in Prevalence of Diagnosed Diabetes, U.S., 2021–2024
    Journal Article
    University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 04/2026
    A comparison of National 2021-2024 data of diagnosed diabetes among rural and urban adults across multiple socioeconomic groups confirms the need for public health strategies tailored to both rural and urban communities, and within rural communities, across sociodemographic groups.
  • Identification and Characteristics of Under-Resourced and High-Need Rural Counties
    Policy Brief
    University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 04/2026
    This brief provides a metric describing how publicly available county-level data on health care workforce, chronic disease prevalence, and the socioeconomic environment of rural communities can assist policymakers in identifying the highest need counties for targeted policy initiatives and public health intervention.
  • Rural-Urban Trends in the Burden of Diabetes Among U.S. Adults
    Policy Brief
    University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 03/2026
    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.

2025

  • Examining the Burden of Chronic Disease and Low SES to Identify High-Need Rural Counties
    Journal Article
    University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 09/2025
    This study identifies rural counties with high chronic disease burden and low socioeconomic status; describes the geographic and demographic patterns of these high-need counties; and examines whether counties with greater need also experience reduced geographic access to critical health care services.

2024

2021