428 – Contributed Poster Presentations: Health Policy Statistics Section
Mortality Disparity Analytics in Rural Health: A Trend and Graphical Analysis
Erin Tanenbaum
NORC at the University of Chicago
Alana Knudson
NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Devi Chelluri
NORC at the University of Chicago
Michael Meit
NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Studies in the United States indicate cause-specific mortality rates are often higher in rural counties than in urban counties. We investigate these findings using a health trend analysis aimed at determining whether rural-urban mortality disparities are persistent over time. Our methodology builds upon past studies' findings. We examine absolute and relative changes, and estimate the average annual rate of change using several models fit to National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) age-adjusted mortality data obtained from CDC WONDER. Data visualization techniques are employed to succinctly convey disparity results across various measurement types. Locating increasing rural health disparity gaps allows policy makers the opportunity to tailor rural health policies and programs.