The depiction comes from a series of three reports on Health Care in Rural America.
The subsequent reports focus on the same divergent trends as they relate to telehealth and dental care.
Easy, affordable access to health care is paramount in addressing the lapses in health care for rural Americans.
Access remains a fundamental problem, especially among lower-income rural residents.
And there are signs that access to providers is worsening.
About one-third report delaying or forgoing medical care.
Skipping medical care only creates greater problems for those with chronic conditions, putting them in poorer health.
Further, some older rural Americans do not use the internet and do not own a smartphone or computer.
As with other findings, those most likely to use telehealth are those with higher household incomes.
A total of 1,504 people completed interviews.
For more information, contact Teresa A. Keenan,tkeenan@aarp.org.
For media inquiries, contactmedia@aarp.org.
