From Data to Action: Updating the NORC Rural–Urban Health Inequities Dashboard to Inform Policy and Practice
Abstract
Rural populations in the United States experience persistent health disparities compared to urban populations, driven by structural, socioeconomic, and health access factors. The NORC Rural Health Inequity Dashboard provides a widely used, data-driven framework for quantifying and visualizing these disparities. However, many indicators have not been updated to reflect recent mortality trends. This study sought to replicate and update the NORC Rural Health Inequity Dashboard using the most recent mortality data, with the goal of translating updated evidence into actionable insights for rural health policy and planning. Age and sex-adjusted mortality data were obtained through CDC WONDER for multiple causes of death, including chronic disease, injury-related, and preventable mortality outcomes. Rates were calculated for adults aged 15-64 years and stratified by urban-rural classification. National age-adjusted mortality rates were used as reference values to compute inequity indices, with an index value of 100 representing the national benchmark. Index values greater than 100 indicated a higher mortality burden compared to the national average. Data management and analysis were conducted using Excel, and results were visualized through Tableau to closely replicate the original NORC dashboard structure while incorporating updated data. Updated analyses revealed persistent and, in several domains, widening rural-urban disparities across multiple causes of death. Rural populations consistently experienced higher mortality index values compared to national averages, indicating disproportionate health burdens. The severity of inequity varied by cause of death, highlighting specific domains where targeted, place-based interventions may be most urgently needed. By updating the NORC dashboard framework with current data, this study demonstrates the continued relevance of the inequity index approach while strengthening its utility as a data-to-action tool. Updated dashboard indicators provide a critical tool for public health practitioners, policymakers, and researchers with an accessible platform to monitor inequities over time, prioritize interventions, and inform data-driven rural health policy and planning.
Start Time
15-4-2026 9:00 AM
End Time
15-4-2026 12:00 PM
Room Number
Culp Ballroom 316
Poster Number
21
Presentation Type
Poster
Presentation Subtype
Posters - Competitive
Presentation Category
Health
Student Type
Graduate and Professional Degree Students, Residents, Fellows
Faculty Mentor
Qian Huang
From Data to Action: Updating the NORC Rural–Urban Health Inequities Dashboard to Inform Policy and Practice
Culp Ballroom 316
Rural populations in the United States experience persistent health disparities compared to urban populations, driven by structural, socioeconomic, and health access factors. The NORC Rural Health Inequity Dashboard provides a widely used, data-driven framework for quantifying and visualizing these disparities. However, many indicators have not been updated to reflect recent mortality trends. This study sought to replicate and update the NORC Rural Health Inequity Dashboard using the most recent mortality data, with the goal of translating updated evidence into actionable insights for rural health policy and planning. Age and sex-adjusted mortality data were obtained through CDC WONDER for multiple causes of death, including chronic disease, injury-related, and preventable mortality outcomes. Rates were calculated for adults aged 15-64 years and stratified by urban-rural classification. National age-adjusted mortality rates were used as reference values to compute inequity indices, with an index value of 100 representing the national benchmark. Index values greater than 100 indicated a higher mortality burden compared to the national average. Data management and analysis were conducted using Excel, and results were visualized through Tableau to closely replicate the original NORC dashboard structure while incorporating updated data. Updated analyses revealed persistent and, in several domains, widening rural-urban disparities across multiple causes of death. Rural populations consistently experienced higher mortality index values compared to national averages, indicating disproportionate health burdens. The severity of inequity varied by cause of death, highlighting specific domains where targeted, place-based interventions may be most urgently needed. By updating the NORC dashboard framework with current data, this study demonstrates the continued relevance of the inequity index approach while strengthening its utility as a data-to-action tool. Updated dashboard indicators provide a critical tool for public health practitioners, policymakers, and researchers with an accessible platform to monitor inequities over time, prioritize interventions, and inform data-driven rural health policy and planning.
