Defining Health Disparities in Rural Areas The area where Amber lives is considered a medically underserved area . The term “ medically underserved area ” ( MUA ) was developed by the United States federal government . To be categorized as an MUA , the area must have a high level of individuals living in poverty , a higher-than-expected infant mortality rate , a high percentage of the population over 65 years old , and a lack of primary healthcare providers per capita as defined by the U . S . federal government ( HRSA , 2020 ).
Being underserved is associated with negative consequences to both mental and physical health . According to the CDC ( 2010 ), this difference in health status because of who you are or where you live is called “ health disparity ” and is linked to living in a rural area . Access to care , particularly specialty care , contributes to health disparities in rural communities . A lack of mental health services has taken a toll on lives . Deaths due to drugs , suicide , and alcohol are higher in rural areas than in more urban settings ( Myers , 2019 ). These unfortunate deaths , labeled “ deaths of despair ,” are rising rapidly in rural children and adults ( Graves et al , 2020 ).
Research findings indicate that income , age , and where one lives are associated with self-reported health ( Cohen , Cook Sando , & Sabik , 2017 ). The relationships between physical health , mental wellbeing , and rural life are complex . To answer the many questions , more attention needs to focus on the variables associated with rurality , the lack of available care , and how it affects the physical and mental health of people in rural communities .
Help for the Underserved in Rural America Fortunately , not all news related to rural health is negative . There are some changes which will lead to better health . One of these is the use of telehealth . Having medical specialists and counseling services available via the internet is making a difference in meeting rural population needs ( Myers , 2019 ). In addition , the media , research , and scholarly publications have brought a greater awareness of the plight of people in rural areas . These can contribute to positive change .
What Can Be Done Whether you live in a remote area or not , you can make a difference in rural healthcare . The first step to working toward improvement is awareness of the issues . Keeping up with the latest health reports , modifications in services , and potential law changes is important . There are many organizations that are helping rural health initiatives and can help you with being up to date on rural health . Begin by looking at two websites : the National Rural Health Association at
www . ruralhealthweb . org and the Rural Nurse Organization at
www . rno . org .
The next step is to become a change agent and an advocate for rural initiatives at the local and national levels . This can be done by meeting , emailing , and calling organizations , legislators , and other government officials influential in rural health policy . Letting them know about issues and your concern can go a long way towards making change happen .
A final step toward reducing rural health disparity is for you to become a rural nurse . Rural areas face nursing shortages . There are personal and financial advantages to becoming a rural nurse . Financial incentives are available in the United States and in Canada .
In the U . S ., the Nursing Corps Loan Repayment Program provides scholarships to nursing students in exchange for working in rural areas following graduation . Information is available at
https :// bhw . hrsa . gov / sites / default / files / bhw / loans-scholarships / nurse-corps / application-program-guidance . pdf /. Assistance with student loan repayment is also available through the U . S . Health Resources and Services Administration ’ s ( HRSA ) National Health Service Corps Rural Community Loan Repayment Program . See this site for more details : https :// nhsc . hrsa . gov / loan-repayment / nhsc-rural-community-loan-repayment-program /.
30 NSNA IMPRINT n FEBRUARY / MARCH 2021 n www . nsna . org