A new study shows that more people are dying from heart disease in rural areas of the United States. Deaths from cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke among people aged 25-64 in US rural areas are projected to increase by about 21 percent between 2010 and 2022, according to a report from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. .

Report, published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology, This came as there was a percentage decline in cardiovascular mortality among the elderly in urban areas. The results also showed that inequality between rural residents and urban residents has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Prior to the pandemic, cardiometabolic health in rural communities was already declining, especially among young adults,” Dr. Lucas Marinacchi, lead researcher and cardiology fellow at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, said in a news release. “This may have made them more vulnerable to the direct and indirect cardiovascular effects of COVID-19,” he said.

Rural communities bear the burden of health care system challenges

For the study, researchers analyzed national mortality data from more than 11 million adults between 2010 and 2022. “Previous research has demonstrated disparities in cardiovascular mortality rates between rural and urban Americans, with historically, more people in rural areas dying from heart disease. People living in cities,” Marinacchi said.

“Rural communities bear a disproportionate burden of cardiovascular risk factors as well as economic hardship and health care system challenges, such as hospital closures, physician shortages, and depleted public health infrastructure, all of which are exacerbated by COVID-19.” had increased due to the pandemic.” He added.

Increase in deaths due to heart disease seen due to pandemic

During the 12 years of the study, death rates from heart disease increased by only 1 percent in rural areas, but decreased by about 6 percent in cities. Everywhere, deaths from heart disease among seniors have declined, but only 4 percent in rural areas compared to 9 percent in urban areas.

Researchers said that after the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, cardiovascular mortality rates increased across the country — more than 8 percent in rural areas compared to just 4 percent in urban areas.

“Cardiovascular risk factor control worsened during the pandemic, and people in rural areas experienced greater disruptions in health care coverage, access, and affordability,” Marinacchi said. “The unprecedented increase in economic and psychosocial distress that occurred during the pandemic also disproportionately impacted the rural population.”

Due to this, “the increasing burden of cardiometabolic disease combined with other risk-enhancing factors – all of which were likely exacerbated by the pandemic – may have exacerbated rural-urban disparities in mortality during the 12-year study period.” ,” he said.

What are the health challenges facing rural communities?

According to experts, when it comes to heart health, people living in rural areas face several challenges, including other risk factors like diabetes and high blood pressure – all due to lack of healthcare facilities. Treatment is not possible.

Even specialized care and cardiovascular technologies are not easily available to people living in rural areas, making them vulnerable to cardiovascular problems.

Scientists have called for policy interventions to improve access and affordability of care, as well as better heart-specific interventions, such as telehealth-based specialist visits, to help people living in rural areas reverse the alarming trends.

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