Veteran Mobility and COVID-19

A new report from SURCOM examines how the COVID-19 pandemic affected veterans living in small urban and rural communities. Nearly five million veterans live in rural communities, representing 57% of Veterans Administration (VA) health care enrollees. COVID-19 cases and deaths among rural veterans have increased at a faster rate compared to veterans in urban areas according to Johns Hopkins University (2020). They also found that delayed COVID-19 testing contributed to a higher rate of cases in rural areas compared to urban areas.

The primary objective of this research was to identify veterans affected by COVID-19 who live in rural areas and have mobility needs and to quantify the cost of transportation options for meeting these needs. Secondary objectives included analyzing the role of telehealth and how the pandemic has affected mobility and isolation among veterans in rural America.

The full report, executive summary, and video summary can be found on the SURCOM website.

For more information, contact Del Peterson at del.peterson@ndsu.edu.