Potentially preventable deaths from cancer, heart disease, unintentional injury, chronic lower respiratory disease and stroke were more common in rural than urban counties between 2010 and 2017, according to a study released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disparity between rural and urban counties increased over the period for cancer, heart disease and chronic lower respiratory diseases; decreased for unintentional injury due to a sharp rise in urban areas; and was relatively unchanged for stroke. “There are proven strategies for reducing health risks like cigarette smoking and obesity and we need to redouble our prevention efforts to reach those living in rural areas, where risks tend to be higher,” said CDC Director Robert Redfield, M.D. According to a report released last week by CDC, preventing a range of adverse childhood experiences from abuse to witnessing violence also could reduce U.S. deaths from heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease, diabetes and suicide.

Related News Articles

Headline
Applications for the 2026 AHA Rural Hospital Excellence in Innovation Award close Aug. 29 at 1 p.m. ET. The award honors rural hospitals leading the way in…
Headline
The Health Resources and Services Administration has awarded more than $15 million in grants to 58 rural health organizations for four-year projects as part of…
Headline
Speakers interested in leading conversations at the AHA’s new Healthier Together Conference are advised to submit a content proposal by Sept. 16. The three-day…
Headline
The AHA Aug. 11 urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to prioritize payments to hospitals from the Rural Health Transformation Program. The…
Headline
The AHA Aug. 7 launched a new webpage, Reducing Disparities in Health Outcomes, featuring new and familiar resources for members and their communities. As part…
Headline
The Food and Drug Administration July 31 announced that it is requiring safety label changes to all opioid pain medications to further emphasize and explain…