Purpose
CDC data show that dying early from the five leading causes of death is more common among people living in rural areas compared to those living in urban areas. Public health practitioners and partners can use this toolkit to share findings with your colleagues and in your communities.
Background
One in five people in the United States live in rural areas. They face numerous health disparities compared with residents of urban areas, and that gap is widening. CDC data show that people living in rural counties have a higher risk of dying early from one of the five leading causes of death—cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, heart disease, stroke, and unintentional injury—than people living in urban counties. Many of these deaths are preventable.
CDC researchers used data from the National Vital Statistics System to calculate the percentages of premature deaths (excluding COVID-19) for people under 80 years old from 2010 to 2022. These data can guide local public health interventions to reduce risk of early death. They also help us better understand and address social, environmental, and structural inequities that contribute to the rural-urban gap in preventable early deaths.
What you can do
Healthcare providers and public health practitioners in rural areas can help reduce health risks and prevent early deaths among people living in rural areas.
- Screen patients for high blood pressure, a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
- Encourage recommended cancer screenings and vaccinations for human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B.
- Join your state-level comprehensive cancer control coalitions.
- Encourage physical activity and healthy eating to reduce obesity, which is linked to heart disease, cancer, and other serious chronic illnesses.
- Promote smoking cessation. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States and is the most significant risk factor for chronic lower respiratory disease and cancer.
- Promote motor vehicle safety, such as wearing seat belts and using child car seats and booster seats on every trip.
- Follow CDC guidelines for safer prescribing of opioids for pain.
What's included
This toolkit includes messages, graphics and other assets. Share this information with your network to help raise awareness of the data and the need for more multi-sector approaches and focused interventions across the U.S. to reduce early death from the five leading causes. For questions, please contact us at ruralhealth@cdc.gov.
Talking points
From 2010 to 2022, the percentage of preventable early deaths in the U.S. from the five leading causes were higher in rural counties than in urban counties.
Overall, the percentage of preventable early deaths:
- Decreased for cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease
- Remained stable for heart disease
- Increased for stroke and unintentional injuries, like fatal drug overdoses and falls
Cancer
- Declines in preventable early deaths in urban counties were larger than in rural ones.
- This widened the rural-urban gaps in early cancer deaths.
Chronic lower respiratory disease
- Rural-urban gaps widened when rates of early death in large metro counties dropped to 0% in 2022 but didn't change much in rural counties.
- Rates went up in the most sparsely populated counties.
Heart disease
- There was an initial drop in preventable early deaths from 2010 through 2019.
- Rates then rose steeply at the start of COVID-19.
- Rural counties had the highest percentage of early deaths from heart disease in 2022.
Stroke
- After declining from 2010 through 2019, rates of early death increased steeply at the start of COVID-19, with the highest rates in rural counties by June 2022.
- The highest percentages of preventable early deaths from stroke in 2022 were in southern states.
Unintentional injury
- Rates of early death have been trending upward in both rural and urban counties since 2010 and increased steeply at the start of COVID-19.
- Rates have nearly tripled in large metro counties, which has narrowed the rural-urban gap. However, the percentage of preventable early deaths from unintentional injury are still highest in rural counties.
Social media messages
Remember to tag @CDCgov on X and Instagram, and CDC on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Preventable early death message
Preventable early deaths from each of the five causes were more common among people living in rural communities than in urban communities.
CancerChronic lower respiratory diseaseHeart diseaseStrokeUnintentional injuries (like fatal drug overdoses and falls)
Learn more in this new CDC report.
Healthcare providers message
HCPs: How can you help patients in rural communities live longer, healthier lives? Learn more about the leading causes of death and strategies you can promote to reduce risk. bit.ly/3w6MUKt #MMWR #ruralhealth #ruralpublichealth
Cancer message
The percentage of preventable early cancer deaths are down overall, but declines in urban areas outpace rural counties. Why? Differences in tobacco use and less access to lung cancer screening facilities may explain some of this gap. CDC has the data: bit.ly/3w6MUKt
Stroke message
The percentage of preventable early deaths from stroke increased steeply at the start of COVID-19, with the highest rates in rural counties by June 2022. Highest rates of preventable early deaths from stroke are in southern states. More data here: bit.ly/ss7302a1 #MMWR
Unintentional injury message
The percentage of preventable early deaths from unintentional injury have nearly tripled in large metro areas since 2010 but are still highest in rural counties. Some factors: the drug overdose epidemic, motor vehicle deaths, falls. See the latest data: bit.ly/ss7302a1
Social media graphics
Heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of death in the U.S.
Heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of death in the U.S. [Social media square 1080x1080]
Heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of death in the U.S. [Social media square 1200x675]
Preventable early deaths from 5 leading causes
Preventable early deaths from 5 leading causes [Social media square 1080x1080]
Preventable early deaths from 5 leading causes [Social media square 1200x675]
Leading causes of death - Protect yourself
Leading causes of death - Protect yourself [Social media card]