We had the pleasure of reading a review written by Urban et al entitled ''Rural Otolaryngology Care Disparities: A Scoping Review'' in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. The authors provide several review articles involving subspecialties of otolaryngology that highlight disparities in rural health care, including maxillofacial trauma. Although these studies comment on socioeconomic status, education, and ethnic disparities, rurality is often left out or briefly addressed. 1 In recent years, Cohn et al conducted 2 studies examining the relationship between maxillofacial trauma patterns and living climate (ie, rural vs urban neighborhoods). 2,3 In another study, rural patients sustained injuries from traffic accidents, sports, violence, and falls. Zygomatic fractures were more common in rural dwellers. 4 Based on the findings of all these studies, it is evident that our governing bodies should strive to work on legislation related to maxillofacial assaults and motor vehicle accidents. One example would be holding individuals found guilty of an assault to strict punishments to deter others from partaking. To prevent road injuries, the road plan should be reconsidered in areas where there is a higher number of accidents reported. Redesigning those roads shall reduce the number of accidents and hence the number of maxillofacial traumas greatly. Improvements in cities' socioeconomics over time can also explain these changes in patterns. We would argue that less poverty equates to less crime and therefore less maxillofacial trauma.
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