Associations between rurality and regional differences in sociodemographic factors and the 1918–20 influenza and 2020–21 COVID-19 pandemics in Missouri counties: An ecological study

ABSTRACT: This study compares pandemic experiences of Missouri’s 115 counties based on rurality and sociodemographic characteristics during the 1918–20 influenza and 2020–21 COVID-19 pandemics. The state’s counties and overall population distribution have remained relatively stable over the last century, which enables identification of long-lasting pandemic attributes. Sociodemographic data available at the county level for both time periods were taken from U.S. census data and used to create clusters of similar counties. Counties were also grouped by rural status (RSU), including fully (100%) rural, semirural (1–49% living in urban areas), and urban (>50% of the population living in urban areas). Deaths from 1918 through 1920 were collated from the Missouri Digital Heritage database and COVID-19 ca

SUBMITTER: Sattenspiel L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10468050 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature