Rural vs. Urban Healthcare

True or False

100

High blood pressure and obesity are more prevalent in rural areas than in urban areas.

True

Source: 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 16). About rural health. https://www.cdc.gov/rural-health/php/about/index.html

200

Urban residents are more likely to participate in risky health-related behavior.

False

Source:

Health Policy Institute. (n.d.). Rural and urban health. Georgetown University. https://hpi.georgetown.edu/rural/

300

Death as a result of drug overdose is more common in rural areas than in urban areas.

True

Source:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 16). About rural health. https://www.cdc.gov/rural-health/php/about/index.html

Demographics

100

What percentage of US residents live in a rural area?

20%

Source:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 16). About rural health. https://www.cdc.gov/rural-health/php/about/index.html

200

Generally speaking, which has an older population: rural or urban areas?

Rural

Source:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 16). About rural health. https://www.cdc.gov/rural-health/php/about/index.html

300

There are 8.0 primary care physicians per 10,000 residents in urban areas. How many primary care physicians per 10,000 residents are there in rural areas?

5.1

Source:

Pender, J. (2023, April 3). Availability of healthcare   providers in rural areas lags that of urban areas. United States Department of Agriculture.

https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/charts-of-note/chart-detail?chartId=106208#:~:text=Availability%20of%20healthcare%20providers%20in%20rural%20areas%20lags%20that%20of%20urban%20areas,-by%20John%20Pender&text=The%20availability%20of%20healthcare%20professionals,Regions%20published%20in%20March%202023.

Rural Healthcare Services

100

What percentage of rural US hospitals have labor and delivery services?

42%

Source: 

Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform. (2025). Stopping the loss of rural maternity care.   https://chqpr.org/downloads/Rural_Maternity_Care_Crisis.pdf

200

What percentage of rural Americans don't have broadband internet access?

17%

Source:

U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2023, May 16). Why health care is harder to access in rural America. https://www.gao.gov/blog/why-health-care-harder-access-rural-america

300

What percent of rural counties have a psychiatrist?

35%

Source: Mental Health America. (n.d.). Rural mental health crisis. https://mhanational.org/resources/rural-mental-health-crisis/