This study addresses the prevalence of pediatric developmental disabilities in both rural and urban areas, as well as the use of services for children with developmental issues in both populations.

Statistics from the 2015–2018 National Health Interview Survey were used to evaluate the incidence of parent- or guardian-reported diagnosis of a developmental disability. Developmental disabilities included attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, blindness, cognitive weakness, mild to severe hearing loss, learning disability, intellectual disability, epilepsy, stuttering or stammering, and others. Findings from this research demonstrate disparities in the incidence of developmental disabilities and the use of related services when comparing urban and rural populations.

The full report, Prevalence of Children Aged 3–17 Years With Developmental Disabilities, by Urbanicity: United States, 2015–2018, is available on the page.