MI CReSS Data Reports
Michigan COVID-19 Recovery Surveillance Study Data Report 7: Rural-urban disparities
in the experiences of Michigan adults with COVID-19 onset prior to June 1, 2022 -
June 2023
- Prior to June 2022, roughly 85% of adults with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 lived in a
metropolitan area at the time of their COVID-19 diagnosis.
- Compared to adults with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 living in metropolitan areas, adults
from micropolitan and small town or rural areas were older, more often non-Hispanic
(NH) White,
and more often had lower income, were unemployed, and reported lower educational attainment.
These demographic differences align with underlying differences between metropolitan,
micropolitan, and small town or rural populations of Michigan.
- Roughly 9% of adults with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 were hospitalized, and this did not
differ by rurality/urbanicity. Long COVID, however, was more often reported in non-metropolitan
areas (small town or rural: 20.8%, micropolitan: 20.4%) compared to metropolitan areas
(16.5%).
- In all areas, more than 20% of adults with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 encountered barriers
to care (e.g., cost, transportation, appointment availability). Barriers were most
often reported by adults from metropolitan areas (30.9%), followed by adults from
small town or rural areas (25.4%), and adults from micropolitan areas (23.6%).
- Nearly half of all adults with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 reported that they or someone
in their family experienced job loss or a reduction in hours worked, and this did
not differ by rurality/urbanicity. Other stressors, however, like inability to get
enough food and difficulty getting around, were more common among metropolitan and
small town or rural areas compared to those from micropolitan areas.
DOWNLOAD THE June 2023 REPORT
