Findings were released this week that found COVID-related deaths in rural America were more than twice the rate of urban areas. Healthcare in rural parts of the country have long been a concern and the findings underscore a growing divide among parts of the country.

Tragic as well, the NY Times reported people who died in the last three and a half months were concentrated in the South, a region that has lagged in vaccinations.

Rural healthcare systems were already affected by hospital closures, staff shortages, and other resource constraints prior to the pandemic. This week’s digest looks at how COVID is affecting rural America and the issues affecting their healthcare system.

IN FOCUS

Vaccine Mandates May Worsen Staff Shortages

• Rural Hospitals Worry They Will Lose Staff Because Of Biden's New Vaccine Mandate NPR

• Rural hospitals face potential worsening staffing shortages with looming federal vaccine mandate CBS 5

• Rural hospital says they are hour by hour on staffed bed capacity ABC 7

Rural Hospitals Disproportionately Affected by COVID

• Rural hospitals losing hundreds of staff to high-paid traveling nurse jobs NBC News

• Doctor: Rural hospitals 'disproportionately affected by coronavirus' Cumberland Times-News

• Rural hospitals running through resources, Hospital Association seeking state funds ABC News 33/40

Some Rural Areas Have High Vaccination Rates

• Personal touch, word of mouth: How U.S. rural communities succeed getting COVID-19 shots into arms Reuters

• The Rural Alaskan Towns Leading the Country in Vaccine Distribution New Yorker

• How one small, rural Alabama town achieved a vaccination rate more than 2½ times as high as the state’s MarketWatch

CHART OF THE WEEK

Rural Americans are dying of COVID-19 at more than 2x the rate of those in metropolitan areas according to data from the Rural Policy Research Institute.

Findings of the Study:

• September COVID incidence rates were about 54% higher in rural areas than elsewhere

• Since the pandemic began, about 1 in 434 rural Americans have died of COVID, compared to 1 in 513 urban Americans.

• Rural mortality rates are now more than double urban rates (and accelerating)

Why this Matters:

• According to the CDC, pre-pandemic rural Americans already had 20% higher overall death rates than those who live in urban areas

• Since January 2005, 181 rural hospitals have closed

• Staffing shortages at rural hospitals could be exacerbated with expanded Federal vaccine requirements

INTERESTING READS

Rural-urban and within-rural differences in COVID-19 vaccination rates The Journal of Rural Health

• The Issue: Disparities in COVID-19 vaccination between urban and rural communities can hinder progress toward ending the pandemic.

• Key Statement:

Rural residents have been less likely to adopt COVID-19 prevention behaviors, such as physical distancing, avoiding dining out, and wearing face masks.19-21 Smaller shares of rural residents report being worried about getting sick, and larger shares say that the severity is exaggerated, getting vaccinated is a personal choice, and believe in at least one myth about the vaccine.

Share

Any opinions expressed herein are those of the author and the author alone.