Rural-urban differences in health care access for postpartum parent and infant dyads

Area of Science:

• Perinatal Health
• Rural Health Disparities
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Understanding disparities in perinatal health between rural and urban populations is crucial for targeted interventions.
• Postpartum parent and infant health are interconnected, influencing overall household well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in perinatal health and healthcare access between rural and urban postpartum parents and infants.
• To analyze within-household health differences between postpartum parents and their infants in rural versus urban settings.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data.
• Weighted proportions of health status, healthcare utilization, and access barriers were calculated.
• Chi-squared tests and repeated measures were used to assess rural-urban and dyadic differences.

Main Results:

• Rural postpartum parents reported worse self-rated health, less access to obstetrician-gynecologists, and higher rates of emergency department visits and hospitalizations compared to urban parents.
• Rural parents were more likely to be uninsured and lose Medicaid coverage post-pregnancy.
• Infant hospitalization rates were higher in urban areas, but other infant health measures were similar between rural and urban settings.
• Postpartum parents, regardless of location, generally reported worse health and faced more barriers to care than their infants.

Conclusions:

• Rural postpartum parents experience significant health disadvantages and access barriers compared to their urban counterparts and their own infants.
• Strategies that leverage existing infant care systems to also serve postpartum parents may enhance overall household health in rural and urban communities alike.