Responses from 27 State offices on aging revealed 8 recurring problems of rural and small-town elderly: a need for a uniform legislative definition of rural; the need for a complete rural strategy to reverse discrimination against rural and small-city elderly; a need to streamline Federal regulations; the need for changes in the Older Americans…

A household survey of 3,253 rural persons, conducted as part of the 1979 National Survey on Drug Abuse, focused on comparisons between rural and non-rural drug usage patterns. The findings indicated that rates of illicit drug use in rural areas increased through the 1970's and that rural/non-rural differences in illicit drug use declined. Rural…

The goal of this study was to compare the migration and adaptation of settlers in urban areas with settlers in rural areas of Brazil. A sample of 1,255 families, divided into an urban group, a near-urban rural group, and a rural group were interviewed. The migration patterns of the groups were discussed and factors related to migration were…

Backgrounds of rural medical doctors were compared with those of osteopathic doctors, metropolitan medical doctors in general practice, and metropolitan doctors in specialties in order to establish factors contributing to the unbalanced distribution of physicians in society. Interview data were obtained from all physicians in a 20-county rural…

Discusses the nature and scope of postsecondary adult education activities in rural areas. Topics addressed include the problem of defining "rural America," identification of characteristics common to rural areas, and differences between urban learners and rural learners. Attention is also focused on postsecondary educational programs and delivery…

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania analyzed data from the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare concerning rural homelessness for fiscal years 1997 through 1999. Findings indicate that rural Pennsylvania has a homeless population and it is growing. In 1999, more than 21,700 clients received homeless assistance in rural areas, 44 percent of whom…

Assessed in this study are perceptions of 36 slides depicting environmental concerns by students in four urban and five rural Kansas high schools. Findings reveal that rural students were more perceptive of these issues than urban students. (WB)

Using data from the 1980 Census Public Use Microdata Sample, this paper examines characteristics of women who live alone and incidence of poverty in this group. Results show there are two distinct subgroups among women who live alone: the elderly, most of whom are widowed; and the young, many of whom are single or divorced. For both groups, about…

Using data from the 1960, 1970, and 1980 censuses of Thailand, this paper explores the changing pattern of internal migration. Throughout the period, the census indicates a high degree of stability. Lifetime migration shows a slight rise in each period; recently it has risen in inter- as opposed to intra-regional movement. Five year…

The two papers in this document were prepared in response to requests by the Department of Agriculture and the White House staff for briefs on welfare and poverty issues. The first paper, "The Administration's Welfare Reform Proposal: Impact on Rural Areas" by Robert Hoppe, discusses major provisions of (1) the proposed Welfare Reform…

The study identified the social and economic factors affecting present commuting behavior and the willingness to commute and to relocate of the residents in north-central New Mexico. Central hypothesis was that Spanish Americans were less mobile than Anglo Americans in this region. Data were collected in a personal interview survey of 800…

This monograph attempts to describe the rural population as reported in the 1960 Census of Population and to evaluate the residence categories used. The hypothesis that the proximity to large metropolitan centers plays a crucial role in determining the characteristics of rural areas is applied. Substantive and analytical portions of the monograph…

The investigation of residential preference patterns and the implications of these for population distribution among different sizes of communities and between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan settings drew on a sample of the United States noninstitutional adult population, using quotas based on age, sex, and employment. By distinguishing between…

In spite of government transfer programs, 10 percent of the United States population remained in poverty after all transfers were made in 1983. In nonmetro areas the poverty rate was 12.8 percent. Many were working poor (taxes reduced their earnings) who will benefit from recent tax reform that lessens their tax burden. (JHZ)