Higher mortality following SARS-CoV-2 infection in rural versus urban dwellers persists for two years post-infection.

ABSTRACT: Previous studies demonstrated higher short-term mortality among rural compared with urban residents infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, whether this difference persists remains uncertain. This retrospective cohort study analyzed two-year post-COVID-19 mortality by rurality using the National Clinical Cohort Collaborative COVID-19 Enclave, a United States-based longitudinal electronic health record repository. We analyzed mortality among patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 between April 2020 and December 2022, with follow-up until December 2024. Patients were categorized into urban, urban-adjacent rural (UAR), and nonurban-adjacent rural (NAR) groups based on residential ZIP Code. Mortality differences were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and weighted multivariable Cox regression, with we

SUBMITTER: Anzalone AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12508022 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature