Rural–Urban Health Disparities among US Adults Ages 50 and Older

With older populations growing faster in rural areas than urban areas, new research focuses on health care access, health-related behaviors, and health conditions among rural versus urban older adults, and on racial and ethnic disparities within each group. Adults ages 50 and older living in rural areas are more likely to forgo medical care due to cost than those living in urban areas. Additionally, Black and Hispanic older adults living in rural areas are much more likely than their White counterparts to skip medical care due to cost.