Table 1.
Description of studies with health services research focus in rural populations included in the analysis (n = 103)
| Variable | Frequency (%) |
|---|---|
| Geographic Unit | |
| County | 59 (57%) |
| Zip Code | 36 (35%) |
| Population Density | 4 (4%) |
| Other | 4 (4%) |
| Definition Used to Determine Rurality | |
| Rural–Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) Codes | 30 (29%) |
| Metropolitan Statistical Areas | 16 (15%) |
| Rural–Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC) | 12 (12%) |
| Urban Influence Codes | 11 (11%) |
| County Designation (state or federal) | 11 (11%) |
| Core Based Statistical Areas | 6 (6%) |
| National Center for Health Statistics approach | 6 (6%) |
| Othera | 11 (11%) |
| Population Studied | |
| Rural and Urban | 83 (81%) |
| Rural Only | 20 (19%) |
| Number of Rural Categories used by authors | |
| 1 | 66 (64%) |
| 2 | 20 (19%) |
| 3 or more | 17 (17%) |
| Data Type | |
| Primary | 10 (10%) |
| Secondary | 93 (90%) |
| Primary HSR Focus | |
| Access | 57 (55%) |
| Quality | 23 (22%) |
| Cost | 16 (16%) |
| Othera | 7 (7%) |
| Studies Found Difference in Outcomes Between Urban and Rural Populations (yes) | 68 (92%) |
| Year | |
| 2010 – 2013 | 17 (17%) |
| 2014—2017 | 35 (34%) |
| 2018—2020 | 44 (46%) |
| Journal | |
| Journal of Rural Health | 44 (43%) |
| Health Affairs | 21 (20%) |
| Medical Care | 12 (11%) |
| Health Services Research | 10 (10%) |
| American Journal of Public Health | 9 (9%) |
| Medical Care Research and Review | 5 (5%) |
| Journal of Healthcare Management | 2 (2%) |
aOther includes the Veterans Administration classification, Federal Office of Rural Health Policy’s classification, geocoding and Zip Code tabulation areas [29]