Figure 1.

Age-standardized US cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality by sex and rural–urban distinction, showing rural–urban absolute difference in deaths per 100 000. Based on 5-year age groups, aged 25–85+ years. Standard population is the age distribution of the US population in 2009. Data (1999-2019) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research. Rural–urban designation based on the 2013 National Center for Health Statistics’ Urban-Rural Scheme, with urban areas encompassing large centre metro, large fringe metro, medium metro and small metro, whereas rural areas were micropolitan or noncore.