Introduction to Rural Health Research Guide
This research guide contains information and links related to rural health. It was initiated at the start of the Rural Health Scholars program-Roux Institute in Maine.
Each tab will provide articles, resources and information on that topic. This is not comprehensive coverage of every article available or every data source.
*This guide is continually evolving with new content being added as new information is discovered. If you have recommendations for this guide, please reach out.
Lauri Fennell, l.fennell@northeastern.edu
Definition of Rural
The United States Census does not define rural. They consider rural to include all people, housing, and territory that are not within an urban area. Any area that is not urban is rural. The Census defines urban as:
Other organizations have similar categorizations with slight variations.
- Urbanized Areas (UAs) of 50,000 or more people
- Urban Clusters (UCs) of 2,500 - 49,999 people
- After the 2010 Census, they classified 19.3% of the population (59.5 million people) and 97% of the land area as rural.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) :Based on counties
- What is Rural? (USDA Economic Research Service)Researchers and policy officials employ many definitions to distinguish rural from urban areas...
- How We Define RuralHRSA - relates to using for grant applications
- Urban and Rural (U.S. Census)The Census Bureau delineates urban areas after each decennial census by applying specified criteria to decennial census and other data. Rural encompasses all population, housing, and territory not included within an urban area.
Rural areas typically have lower population density and are often characterized by open spaces, agriculture, and small communities.
Here are a few key points about rural areas in the U.S.:
- Population Density: Rural areas have a low population density compared to urban areas.
- Geographic Features: They often include farms, forests, and other natural landscapes.
- Community Size: Rural communities can be small towns or even unincorporated areas with few services and amenities.
- Economic Activities: The economy in rural areas may be more focused on agriculture, forestry, and resource extraction.
The definition can vary based on context, but these elements generally capture the essence of what is considered rural in the U.S.
NOTE: the above was provided by ChatGPT when asked for the definition of rural in the United States.
Rural Health Information Hub
The Rural Health Information Hub is funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy to be a national clearinghouse on rural health issues.
- RHIhub Topic Guides
This section contains a group of topics that you can explore, such as workforce or specific populations - Evidence Based Examples on RHIhibBrowse rural projects that meet this collection's highest level of evidence. For each example listed, a review study of the approach has been published.
What does it mean to be rural?
- Rural America at a GlanceUS Department of Agriculture (USDA) Report
- Which Definition of Rurality Should I Use? The Relative Performance of 8 Federal Rural Definitions in Identifying Rural-Urban DisparitiesArticle from Medical Care. 2021 Oct; 59(10 Suppl 5): S413–S419.
Requires NU sign-in - What Is Rural? Challenges And Implications Of Definitions That Inadequately Encompass Rural People And PlacesArticle in Health Affairs, Vol. 38, No. 12, December 2019
Requires NU SIgn-in
Maine is the most rural state in the country and is just north of Boston, MA. There is a dedicated page for Maine.
Links below are New England states other than Maine, which has it's own page. The Roux Institute is based in Portland, ME.
- Rural MassachusettsMassachusetts has several towns that can be classified as rural. Many of them are in Western Mass
- Defining Rural Rhode Island (pdf)Rhode Island Office of Primary Care and Rural Health (OPCRH) has developed a definition of rural for the purposes of identifying areas in the state that are potentially at risk for health disparities and limits on access to health care
- VT Rural ResourcesState Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
Vermont's population has over 61% living in rural areas and is just slightly lower than Maine. - CT State office of Rural HealthThe CT Office of Rural Health definition of rural: All towns with a population census of 10,000 or less and a population density of 500 or less people per square mile as designated as rural
Rural Gov't Sites (Health and General)
- Rural Economy & Population
USDA Economic Research Service - HRSA-Region 1 (New England)
summary data about HRSA’s activities in Region 1.
