Conceptualization and measurement of the neighborhood in rural locales: A systematic review

Interest in the link between neighborhood characteristics and individual health has increased in recent years. We now know that neighborhood conditions, such as poverty and deprivation, negatively impact resident well-being. However, most of the work on neighborhood effects has been conducted in urban settings; less is known about these processes in rural communities. Neighborhood conceptualizations, such as U.S. Census tracts, are standard in the urban neighborhood effects literature. Yet, rural neighborhoods differ from urban ones making it unclear whether these conceptualizations fit the rural context. In this systematic review, we sought to summarize how researchers have conceptualized and measured rural neighborhoods. Methods: Keyword searches using keywords such as rural neighborhood, neighborhood conceptualization, community, and rural community were performed in a variety of databases to compile a list of all relevant peer-reviewed articles. After title, abstract, and full-text examination, 19 articles fit the review criteria. Results: We found that researchers used five different neighborhood conceptualizations when conducting rural neighborhood effects research. These included administrative units, distance from home, local-actor mapped regions, town segments, and non-geographical self-definitions. Each conceptualization has its strengths and drawbacks, which will be discussed in detail. Conclusions: The choice of type of rural neighborhood conceptualization to use may depend on the nature of the research being conducted. Still, the lack of a definitive answer as to the optimal conceptualization to use when studying neighborhood effects in rural areas suggests the need for additional data on how rural residents define their neighborhoods.