Disabilities: Rural Health Research Products & Journal Articles

2023

Rural/Urban Differences in Receipt of Governmental Rental Assistance: Relationship to Health and Disability
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 10/2023
Housing is a vital component of health, and governmental rental assistance is one avenue of increasing access to affordability. In this paper, researchers examined rural/urban and within-rural differences in receipt of governmental rental assistance, with a focus on differences by health and disability.
Differences in Residential Stability by Rural/Urban Location and Socio-Demographic Characteristics
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 08/2023
This policy brief identifies rural/urban differences in residential stability and examines rural/urban differences in regional, socio-demographic, and health characteristics associated with living in the same home for more than 20 years.
Housing Quality by Disability, Race, Ethnicity, and Rural-Urban Location: Findings From the American Community Survey
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 07/2023
In this policy brief, researchers examine rates of two key housing quality indicators (having incomplete plumbing and incomplete kitchen facilities) by rural-urban location, as well as at the intersections of racial/ethnic identity and disability status.
Crowded Housing and Housing Cost Burden by Disability, Race, Ethnicity, and Rural-Urban Location
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 03/2023
Housing is closely tied to health outcomes and well-being; however, little research examines housing factors by location. In this policy brief, we examine rates of crowded housing and housing cost burden by rural-urban location, as well as at the intersections of race, ethnicity, and disability status.
Advancing the Age-Friendly Movement in Rural Communities
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 02/2023
The research team looked at the role of Aging Life Care Managers® to help support the age-friendly movement in rural areas. The team explored ways in which Aging Life Care Managers® could advocate for the needs and interests of their clients, help them access care and support, and involve rural communities in the age-friendly movement.
Who Will Care for Rural Older Adults? Measuring the Direct Care Workforce in Rural Areas (journal article)
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 02/2023
In this manuscript, the research team used data from the 2021 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics dataset to calculate the ratio of direct care workers relative to the population of older adults (ages 65+) across rural and urban areas in the US.

2022

Who Will Care for Rural Older Adults? Measuring the Direct Care Workforce in Rural Areas (policy brief)
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 11/2022
The policy brief examines disparities in the supply of home health aides and nursing assistants in rural areas compared to urban areas. Researchers estimate the ratio of home health aides and nursing assistants relative to the population of adults (age 65+) across rural and urban areas in the U.S.
Approaches to Serving Rural Older Adults in State Plans on Aging: A Policy Content Evaluation
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 05/2022
In this article, we share a policy content evaluation of State Plans on Aging from all 50 U.S. states, focusing on how the states will serve older adults and including common and innovative approaches to doing so.
Social Isolation and Safety Issues Among Rural Older Adults Living Alone: Perspectives of Meals on Wheels Programs
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 05/2022
In this article, we share results from a survey of 42 Meals on Wheels programs in rural areas across the US. Respondents highlighted challenges to meeting both social and safety needs of rural older adults living alone, as well as policy recommendations to improve the health and safety of older adults living alone in rural areas.

2021

Examples of Statewide Age-Friendly Initiatives
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 10/2021
The purpose of these policy briefs is to identify the extent of statewide programs to support aging in place or age-friendly environments and, within those, to identify the extent to which such programs have an explicit rural focus. The "Examples" document provides an overview of the initiatives identified in the "Environmental Scan."
Statewide Age-Friendly Initiatives: An Environmental Scan
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 10/2021
The purpose of these policy briefs is to identify the extent of statewide programs to support aging in place or age-friendly environments and, within those, to identify the extent to which such programs have an explicit rural focus. The "Examples" document provides an overview of the initiatives identified in the "Environmental Scan."
Preferences for Long-Term Care Arrangements Among Rural and Urban Older Adults
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 05/2021
This study describes care preferences by rural and urban location and by demographic characteristics among rural residents.
Demographics and Disability Status of Adults Living Alone in Rural Areas
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 04/2021
This policy brief examines how the types of people who live alone differ between urban and rural areas, focusing on differences in age and disability status.

2020

Acuity Differences Among Newly Admitted Older Residents in Rural and Urban Nursing Homes
Journal Article
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 11/2020
This study found newly admitted residents of rural nursing homes were more likely to have cognitive issues/problem behaviors than those in urban facilities. Yet rural facilities admitted less complex older (age 75+) residents than urban, raising questions about the rural long-term services and supports system and capacity of rural nursing homes.
Health Care Use and Access Among Rural and Urban Nonelderly Adult Medicare Beneficiaries
Policy Brief
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Date: 01/2020
Little is known about the characteristics and healthcare use of rural residents with disabilities. This study compares access to and use of health services among rural and urban nonelderly Medicare beneficiaries with a disability and the factors associated with rural access issues.

2018

Beyond Clinical Complexity: Nonmedical Barriers to Nursing Home Care for Rural Residents
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 02/2018
Using data from interviews with rural hospital discharge planners, we identified four themes around nonmedical barriers to rural nursing home placement with particular salience in rural areas: financial issues, transportation, nursing home availability and infrastructure, and timeliness. We also identified policy and programmatic interventions.

2017

Barriers to Nursing Home Care for Nonelderly Rural Residents
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 12/2017
This study uses data from 23 semi-structured interviews with rural hospital discharge planners in five states to identify specific barriers to finding nursing home care for nonelderly rural residents. We found three primary themes—payment status, fit, and medical complexity—as well as two minor themes—caregivers and bureaucratic processes.

2007

Rural/Urban Differences in Barriers to and Burden of Care for Children With Special Health Care Needs
Journal Article
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Date: 2007
Examines the barriers and difficulties experienced by rural families of children with special healthcare needs in caring for their children. Covers rural-urban differences in types of providers used, reasons for unmet healthcare needs, insurance and financial difficulties encountered, and the family burden of providing the child's medical care.

2006

The Effect of Rural Residence On Dental Unmet Need for Children With Special Health Care Needs
Journal Article
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Date: 2006
Unmet need for dental care is the most prevalent unmet healthcare need among children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN). The combination of rural residence and special healthcare needs may leave rural CSHCN particularly vulnerable to high levels of unmet dental needs.

2005

Disability Burdens Among Older Americans Associated With Gender and Race/Ethnicity in Rural and Urban Areas
Rural and Minority Health Research Center
Date: 09/2005
No prior research has investigated differences in disability-free and disabled life expectancy associated with rural or urban residence. This report addresses this gap and identifies differences in healthy life expectancy that may signal important policy needs.
Disability Burdens Among Older Americans in Rural and Urban Area
Fact Sheet
Rural and Minority Health Research Center
Date: 2005
This fact sheet examines differences in disability-free and disabled life expectancy among rural or urban residents, using an indicator called "health expectancy."
The Effects of Rural Residence and Other Social Vulnerabilities on Subjective Measures of Unmet Need
Journal Article
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Date: 2005
Are self-reports of unmet need a biased measure of access to healthcare? We examined the relationship between rural residence and perceived need for physician services and the likelihood of reporting a need for routine preventive care and/or specialty care using data from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs.