Rural Populations and Health Determinants, Disparities, and Solutions

Health-related disparities remain a persistent, serious problem across the nation's more than 60 million rural residents. Rural Populations and Health provides an overview of the critical issues surrounding rural health and offers a strong theoretical and evidence-based rationale for rectifying rural health disparities in the United States.

This edited collection includes a comprehensive examination of myriad issues in rural health and rural health care services, as well as a road map for reducing disparities, building capacity and collaboration, and applying prevention research in rural areas. This textbook offers a review of rural health systems in Colorado, Kentucky, Alabama, and Iowa, and features contributions from key leaders in rural public health throughout the United States.

Rural Populations and Health examines vital health issues such as:

• Health assessment
• Strategies for building rural coalitions
• Promoting rural adolescent health
• Rural food disparities
• Promoting oral health in rural areas
• Physical activity in rural communities
• Preventing farm-related injuries
• Addressing mental health issues
• Cancer prevention and control in rural communities
• Reducing rural tobacco use

Rural Populations and Health is an important resource for students, faculty, and researchers in public health, preventive medicine, public health nursing, social work, and sociology.

Tables and Figures vii

Foreword xiii
Ciro V. Sumaya

The Prevention Research Centers Program xv

Acknowledgments xvii

The Editors xix

The Contributors xxi

Part 1 Rural Communities in Context 1

1 Understanding Rural America: A Public Health Perspective 3
Richard A. Crosby, Monica L. Wendel, Robin C. Vanderpool, Baretta R. Casey, Laurel A. Mills

2 Defining Rurality 23
L. Gary Hart, Baretta R. Casey

3 History of Rural Public Health in America 39
Amy L. Elizondo, Alan Morgan

4 The Depth of Rural Health Disparities in America:The ABCDEs 51
James E. Florence, Robert P. Pack, Jodi Southerland, Randolph F. Wykoff

Part 2 Rural Public Health Systems 73

5 Public Health Systems, Health Policy, and Population-Level Prevention in Rural America 75
Angela L. Carman, F. Douglas Scutchfield

6 Rural Public Health Systems: A View from Colorado 95
Julie A. Marshall, Lisa N. VanRaemdonck

7 Rural Public Health Systems: A View from Kentucky 115
Baretta R. Casey

8 Rural Public Health Systems: A View from Alabama 135
Theresa A. Wynn, Mona N. Fouad

9 Rural Public Health Systems: A View from Iowa 151
Faryle Nothwehr, Lauren Erickson, Ulrike Schultz

Part 3 Health Partnerships in Rural Communities 169

10 Health Assessment in Rural Communities: A Critical Organizing and Capacity-Building Tool 171
James N. Burdine, Heather R. Clark, Lindsay J. Shea, Bernard Appiah, Chelsie N. Hollas

11 Strategies for Building Coalitions in Rural Communities 191
Michelle C. Kegler, Frances D. Butterfoss

12 Capacity Building in Rural Communities 215
Monica L. Wendel, Angie Alaniz, Brandy N. Kelly, Heather R. Clark, Kelly N. Drake, Corliss W. Outley, Whitney Garney, Keli Dean, Lyndsey Simpson, Britt Allen, Hon. Pam Finke, Teresa Harris, Vicky Jackson, Hon. Dean Player, Albert Ramirez, Hon. Mike Sutherland, Camilla Viator, E. Lisako J. McKyer, Julie A. St. John, Kenneth R. McLeroy, James N. Burdine

Part 4 Evidence-Based Practice in Rural Communities 235

13 Promoting Adolescent Health in Rural Communities 237
E. Lisako J. McKyer, Corliss W. Outley, Jamilia J. Blake, Brandy N. Kelly

14 Rural Food Disparities: Availability and Accessibility of Healthy Foods 251
Wesley R. Dean, Cassandra M. Johnson, Joseph R. Sharkey

15 Promoting Oral Health in Rural Communities 267
Nikki Stone, Baretta R. Casey

16 Physical Activity Promotion in Rural America 287
Richard Kozoll, Sally M. Davis

17 Preventing Farm-Related Injuries: The Example of Tractor Overturns 303
Henry P. Cole, Susan C. Westneat

18 Addressing Mental Health Issues in Rural Areas 323
Carly E. McCord, Timothy R. Elliott, Daniel F. Brossart, Linda G. Castillo

19 Cancer Prevention and Control in Rural Communities .341
Robin C. Vanderpool, Laurel A. Mills

20 Tobacco Use in Rural Populations 357
Geri A. Dino, Rose M. Pignataro, Kimberly A. Horn, Andrew Anesetti-Rothermel

Index 377

Richard A. Crosby, PhD, is the DDI Endowed Professor of Health Behavior in the Department of Health Behavior, College of Public Health, University of Kentucky.

Monica L. Wendel, DrPH, MA, is assistant dean for community health systems innovation and director, Center for Community Health Development, Texas A&M Health Science Center, School of Rural Public Health.

Robin C. Vanderpool, DrPH, is an assistant professor in the Department of Health Behavior, College of Public Health, University of Kentucky.

Baretta R. Casey, MD, MPH, FAAFP, is a professor in the Department of Health Behavior, College of Public Health and the Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky.