Rural-urban variations in psychological distress: findings from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2007.
OBJECTIVE
To describe rural and urban differences in the prevalence and correlates of psychological distress in the United States.


METHODS
We analyzed 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data from 62,913 respondents residing in 94 counties in 24 states, and District of Columbia that administered the Kessler-6 (K6) psychological distress questionnaire and met the BRFSS weighting criterion. Using the Rural Urban Classification Codes (RUCC), 94 counties fell into four groups (two metropolitan and two non-metropolitan) out of the nine-part RUCC scheme; these levels were collapsed into two distinct categories of urban and rural.


RESULTS
Unadjusted estimates indicate that urban county residents have a 22 % higher likelihood of having either MPD or SPD than rural residence (odds ratio [OR]: 1.22, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.09-1.36). This association was slightly attenuated after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics 17 % higher (OR: 1.17, 95 % CI: 1.04-1.31).


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study to our knowledge reporting rural and urban prevalence of psychological distress derived from population-based, county-level data for 94 counties in the United States.
Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway N.E., Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. SDhingra@cdc.gov
Satvinder S
SS
Dhingra
Tara W
TW
Strine
James B
JB
Holt
Joyce T
JT
Berry
Ali H
AH
Mokdad
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult