Rural-Urban disparities in self-reported physical/mental multimorbidity: A cross-sectional study of self-reported mental health and physical health among working age adults in the U.S.

Purpose Self-rated physical health (SRPH) and self-rated mental health (SRMH) are both linked to excess morbidity and premature mortality and can vary across rural and urban contexts. This can be particularly problematic for rural residents who have less access to important health care infrastructur...

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Main Authors: Danielle Rhubart, Jennifer Kowalkowski, Jordan Yerger
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2023-11-01
Series:Journal of Multimorbidity and Comorbidity
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/26335565231218560
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author Danielle Rhubart
Jennifer Kowalkowski
Jordan Yerger
author_facet Danielle Rhubart
Jennifer Kowalkowski
Jordan Yerger
author_sort Danielle Rhubart
collection DOAJ
description Purpose Self-rated physical health (SRPH) and self-rated mental health (SRMH) are both linked to excess morbidity and premature mortality and can vary across rural and urban contexts. This can be particularly problematic for rural residents who have less access to important health care infrastructure. In this paper, we assess the prevalence of and rural-urban disparities at the intersection of SRPH and SRMH, specifically self-rated physical/mental multimorbidity (SRPMM) overall and across rural-urban contexts. Methods Using a cross-sectional demographically representative national dataset of over 4000 working age adults in the U.S., we expose rural-urban differences in the prevalence of SRPMM and explore individual-level factors that may explain this disparity. Results Approximately 15 percent of working age adults reported SRPMM, but rural adults were at higher risk than their urban counterparts. However, this disadvantage disappeared for remote rural working-age adults and was attenuated for metro-adjacent rural working-age adults when we controlled for the fact that rural adults had lower household incomes. Conclusion Findings reveal a higher risk of SRPMM among rural adults, in part because of lower incomes among this group. This work acts as the foundation for facilitating research on and addressing rural-urban disparities in SRPMM.
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spelling doaj-art-9aa75b4c31c84258b734191c9471f6332024-11-23T03:03:20ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Multimorbidity and Comorbidity2633-55652023-11-011310.1177/26335565231218560Rural-Urban disparities in self-reported physical/mental multimorbidity: A cross-sectional study of self-reported mental health and physical health among working age adults in the U.S.Danielle RhubartJennifer KowalkowskiJordan YergerPurpose Self-rated physical health (SRPH) and self-rated mental health (SRMH) are both linked to excess morbidity and premature mortality and can vary across rural and urban contexts. This can be particularly problematic for rural residents who have less access to important health care infrastructure. In this paper, we assess the prevalence of and rural-urban disparities at the intersection of SRPH and SRMH, specifically self-rated physical/mental multimorbidity (SRPMM) overall and across rural-urban contexts. Methods Using a cross-sectional demographically representative national dataset of over 4000 working age adults in the U.S., we expose rural-urban differences in the prevalence of SRPMM and explore individual-level factors that may explain this disparity. Results Approximately 15 percent of working age adults reported SRPMM, but rural adults were at higher risk than their urban counterparts. However, this disadvantage disappeared for remote rural working-age adults and was attenuated for metro-adjacent rural working-age adults when we controlled for the fact that rural adults had lower household incomes. Conclusion Findings reveal a higher risk of SRPMM among rural adults, in part because of lower incomes among this group. This work acts as the foundation for facilitating research on and addressing rural-urban disparities in SRPMM.https://doi.org/10.1177/26335565231218560
spellingShingle Danielle Rhubart
Jennifer Kowalkowski
Jordan Yerger
Rural-Urban disparities in self-reported physical/mental multimorbidity: A cross-sectional study of self-reported mental health and physical health among working age adults in the U.S.
Journal of Multimorbidity and Comorbidity
title Rural-Urban disparities in self-reported physical/mental multimorbidity: A cross-sectional study of self-reported mental health and physical health among working age adults in the U.S.
title_full Rural-Urban disparities in self-reported physical/mental multimorbidity: A cross-sectional study of self-reported mental health and physical health among working age adults in the U.S.
title_fullStr Rural-Urban disparities in self-reported physical/mental multimorbidity: A cross-sectional study of self-reported mental health and physical health among working age adults in the U.S.
title_full_unstemmed Rural-Urban disparities in self-reported physical/mental multimorbidity: A cross-sectional study of self-reported mental health and physical health among working age adults in the U.S.
title_short Rural-Urban disparities in self-reported physical/mental multimorbidity: A cross-sectional study of self-reported mental health and physical health among working age adults in the U.S.
title_sort rural urban disparities in self reported physical mental multimorbidity a cross sectional study of self reported mental health and physical health among working age adults in the u s
url https://doi.org/10.1177/26335565231218560
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AT jordanyerger ruralurbandisparitiesinselfreportedphysicalmentalmultimorbidityacrosssectionalstudyofselfreportedmentalhealthandphysicalhealthamongworkingageadultsintheus