Useful Resources
Rural Health: Isolation, Access Issues
Nearly 23 percent of Americans live in rural areas, according to a 2007 estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau, which is the most recent estimate as of August 2009. They face unique health challenges as a result of their geographic isolation and low population density, according to 2007 census estimates. For example, only one in 10 doctors practice in rural areas. Rural residents tend to be poorer and less likely to have employer-based insurance than urban dwellers. Recruiting and retaining qualified health care professionals and keeping hospitals and clinics operating in the black are additional challenges. Increasing the use of telehealth services, which link consumers to medical professionals via computers or telephones, is often cited as a way to improve rural health care. Updated February 2010
Resource Links
Blogs
The network hosts a blog about developments in telemedicine; sponsored by the Association of Telehealth Service Providers
A blog from the Center for Rural Affairs, a Nebraska-based grassroots organization. Some of the postings are about health issues.
Advocacy
The association advocates for rural health care policy and offers many statistics on rural health
A membership organization that lobbies on behalf of rural clinics
Public Policy
An office of the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration
A directory listing Web sites for the many rural health associations in the United States
Statistics, Trends and Research
This center aims to help policy makers understand access to care problems in rural communities. It is part of the Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) in the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.
A collaborative effort from the Universities of Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska
The U.S. Department of Agriculture operates the Rural Information Center, whose Web site offers authoritative statistics about rural America
Understanding Rural Health
Healthy People 2010 posts progress reports related to goals for rural health care
The center is operated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Rural Initiative. It supports rural areas with funding and research to improve the quality of rural health care.
