ABSTRACT
The prevalence, mortality, determinants, prevention, and management of chronic conditions in rural communities are explored. Since the baseline year of 2007, the reduction in overall age-adjusted death rates was observed for all these chronic diseases. While the changes are in the desirable direction, chronic disease death rates are still disproportionately higher among older adults when compared to younger persons. A review of 1999-2014 mortality data found higher age-adjusted death rates and greater percentages of excess deaths from chronic diseases in rural areas compared to non-rural areas. In another study using national repository data from 47 states, Smith and colleagues showed that only about 8% of chronic disease self-management education programs were delivered in rural counties between 2009 and 2016. The chronic disease prevalence and impacts have been outlined and described, as well as interventions targeting chronic disease among older adults in rural areas.
