Critical Issues In Rural Health

A large sector of the United States (U.S.) population. About 22 percent of Americans, approximately 55 million people, are considered “rural” residents. Rural people have a unique set of health issues; they experience social, cultural, and economic disadvantages that can increase their risk for adverse health consequences.

The first text of its kind, Critical Issues in Rural Health, provides comprehensive sociological study of rural health and health care trends in the United States, by examining the health and well-being of rural populations at all stages of life. Editors Glasgow, Morton, and Johnson present integrative reviews of theory and research on rural health issues, with the most up-to-date statistics of empirical research. This informative and groundbreaking text goes beyond the scope of previous studies and emphasizes differences between rural and urban areas in health and health care. Surprisingly little research has examined the differences in disability and morality rates by residence or degree of rurality-this book does. In additon, contributing authors report on the impact of age or life stage, race and ethnicity, social class, rural occupations, and community structure on various health issues.

Nina Glasgow, Ph.D., is Senior Research Associate in the Department of Development Sociology, Cornell University. Dr. Glasgow was Chair of the Rural Health Interest Group of the Rural Sociological Society from 1999-2002. Her current research focuses on the effects of social integration on the health newcomers to nonmetropolitan retirement destinations.


Lois Wright Morton Ph.D., is Assistnat Professor of rural sociology in the Department of Sociology at Iowa State University. Dr. Morton's research examines the social organization and civic structure of rural places, food systems, and population health.


Nan E. Johnson, Ph.D., is Professor and holds a joint appointment in the Department of Sociology at Michigan State University and in the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station. Dr. Johnson is currently focusing her research on aging and eldercare in the United States.

Foreword.

Preface.

1. Introduction. (Nina Glasgow, Nan E. Johnson, and Lois Wright Morton).

Part I. Rural Morbidity, Disability, and Mortality.

2. Rural/Urban Contrast in Population Morbidity Status. (Robert B. Wallace, Ligia A. Grindeanu, and Dominic J. Cirillo).

3. Spatial Patterning of Disabilities among Adults. (Nan E. Johnson).

4. Spatial Patterns of Rural Mortality. (Lois Wright Morton).

Part II. Challenges to a Healthy Rural America.

5. Health Hazards of Rural Extractive Industries and Occupations. (Michael D. Schulman and Doris P. Slesinger).

6. Rural Environmental Health and Industrial Agriculture: A Case Example of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations. (Carol J. Hodne).

7. Rural Mental Health: Comparing Differences and Modeling Change. (Frederick O. Lorenz, K.A.S. Wickrama, and Hsiu-Chen Yeh).

8. Risky Behaviors Affecting Rural Adolescents' Health. (Anastasia R. Snyder and Diane K. McLaughlin).

9. Rural Food Insecurity and Health. (Lois Wright Morton, H. Dreamal I. Worthen, and Lorraine J. Weatherspoon).

10. Rural Eating, Diet, Nutrition, and Body Weight. (W. Alex McIntosh and Jeffery Sobal).

Part III. Health Disparities among People of Color/Disadvantaged Groups.

11. American Indians and Alaska Native. (Everett R. Rhoades and Kymberly Cravatt).

12. The Health of African Americans Living in Nonmetropolitan Areas. (Chck W. Peek and Barbara A. Zsembik).

13. Health of Rural Latinos. (Cruz C. Torres).

14. Migrant Farmworkers. (Louise S. Ward and A. Serdar Atav).

15. Health Disparities in Rural Appalachia. ( Jennifer L. Gatz, Graham D. Rowles, and Suzanne L. Tyas).

Part IV. Formal Health Care in Rural America.

16. Health Insurance Coverage in Nonmetropolitan America. (Robert A. Hummer, Jan Pacewicz, Shu-Chuan Wang, and Chiquita Collins).

17. Funding Health Services in the Rural United States. (Mary K. Zimmerman, Rodney McAdams, and Buron P. Halpert).

18. Networking in Rural Health. (Anthony Wellever).

19. Telehealth: What Promise Does It Hold for Rural Areas? (William Grigsby and Stephan J. Goetz).

20. Nursing Homes and Community-Based Long-Term Care. (R. Paul Duncan and Tiffany A. Radcliff).

Part V. Improving Health: Can Theory Be the Guide?.

21. Community Structure and Population Health: The Challenge of Explanation. (Frank W. Young).

22. Healthy Aging in Rural America. (Nina Glasgow).

23. Reaching the Goal: Less Disparity, Better Rural Health. (Lois Wright Morton, Nina Glasgow and Nan E. Johnson).

Index.