Defining rurality: an evaluation of rural definitions and the impact on survival estimates.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Patients with cancer living in rural areas have inferior cancer outcomes; however, studies examining this association use varying definitions of "rural," complicating comparisons and limiting the utility of the results for policy makers and future researchers.

Methods

Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data (2000-2016) were used to assess risk of cancer mortality and mortality from any cause across 4 definitions of rurality: Urban Influence codes (UIC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Rural-Urban continuum codes (RUCC), and Index of Relative Rurality. Binary (urban vs rural) and ternary (urban, micropolitan, rural) definitions were evaluated. Multivariable parametric survival models estimated hazards of mortality overall and among 3 cancer g

SUBMITTER: Franks JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10165490 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature