Urbanization Leaves Rural America In A Health Care Crisis
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Urbanization Leaves Rural America In A Health Care Crisis
Urbanization Leaves Rural America In A Health Care Crisis
Declining birth rates and an aging population have impacted American migration patterns for decades. But according to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, between 2010 and 2017, almost 1,000 rural counties in the U.S. recorded more deaths than births. Add in migration patterns of people moving from rural areas of the country to more urban and suburban regions, and we find that in 2019 only 20% of Americans live in rural areas - which accounts for a surprising 97% of U.S. land mass.
But the implications of these population shifts greatly exceed the economic and housing needs of the region. Population change also means significant changes in health care need, demand and access. According to the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM), “As urbanization increases, an older, sicker and poorer population remains in rural America.” What this really means is that those Americans living in rural areas of the country have much greater health issues, and far fewer health resources.
The full Forbes article can be found at this link.