National Rural Health Day - November 18
Over 60 million Americans live and work in seemingly idyllic, rural communities. But life gets challenging when illness or pregnancy forces you to travel greater distances to see a doctor or get to a hospital if the local one is closed due to lack of funding.
Because of this, the third Thursday in November has been set aside to highlight rural communities as wonderful places to live and work, increase awareness of rural health-related issues. National Rural Health Day (NRHD) is an opportunity to “Celebrate the Power of Rural” by honoring the selfless, community-minded spirit that prevails in rural America. NRHD showcases the efforts of rural healthcare providers, State Offices of Rural Health, and other rural stakeholders to address the unique healthcare challenges that rural citizens face today and in the future.
#PowerOfRural
Rural communities are wonderful places to live and work, which is why an estimated 57 million people – nearly one in five Americans – call them home. These small towns, farming communities, and frontier areas are places where neighbors know each other, listen to each other, respect each other, and work together to benefit the greater good. They are also some of the best places to start a business and test your “entrepreneurial spirit.” These communities are an economic engine that provides the rest of the country with a wealth of services and commodities.
These rural communities also have unique healthcare needs. Today more than ever, rural communities must address accessibility issues, a lack of healthcare providers, the needs of an aging population suffering from a greater number of chronic conditions, and larger percentages of un- and underinsured citizens. And rural hospitals – which are often the economic foundation of their communities in addition to being the primary providers of care – struggle daily as declining reimbursement rates and disproportionate funding levels make it challenging to serve their residents.
Why National Rural Health Day is Important
Rural Communities are Part of America
Sometimes city dwellers forget that there's a whole other world outside of urban centers. National Rural Health Day is an opportunity for everyone to salute the unsung heroes of rural communities — the hospitals, health care professionals, and other providers who keep rural communities going despite diminishing resources, population loss, and the ravages of the opioid crisis.
Rural communities struggle to keep surgeons and hospitals
Outside of the postcard beauty of many rural communities, there's a war raging. The lack of reimbursements by Medicare and Medicaid for services rendered, especially during the current opioid crisis, is literally shutting down hospitals. The few hospitals that remain open are having a hard time training and retaining quality surgeons and physicians. Many doctors either "age out" or transition from providing general surgical care to specialized care — meaning returning to the cities that can pay the high salaries for that level of skilled surgical expertise.
Poverty is proportionately higher in rural America
National Rural Health Day highlights poverty's impact on the healthcare system in rural communities. The average income for rural residents is about 25% less than the income for urban Americans. The escalating opioid crisis, the closure of manufacturing, farming, mining, and other businesses mean younger people either leave the area or suffer from behavioral health issues. Rural communities of color often live in "food deserts" — areas without stores selling fresh produce or other perishables, which contributes to high rates of hypertension and cardiovascular problems.
Reasons Why Rural America Needs Better Healthcare
There aren’t enough doctors
Only 10 percent of physicians have practices in rural communities despite the fact that nearly 25 percent of the U.S. population lives outside of cities.
Children are suffering
About 24 percent of children in rural settings are battling poverty.
There aren’t enough hospitals
Within the past 25 years, more than 470 rural hospitals have shut down due to a loss of funding.
There aren’t enough mental health services
Almost 20 percent of rural counties lack mental health services compared with only 5 percent of metropolitan counties.
Hypertension affects rural settings more
Factors such as isolation, increased poverty, and overall aging may be some of the reasons why hypertension is significantly higher in rural areas.
Observing National Rural Health Day
Plan a group run, bicycle ride, or hit the trail
Do something to make yourself feel good. If you are lucky enough to live outside the city, get some friends together and do some hiking or off-road bicycling — or maybe even take a peaceful walk. After all, focusing on healthy living is a big part of this day. .
Thank your healthcare providers
Sometimes just a simple "thank you" will do. On National Rural Health Day, call or visit your local healthcare providers and let them know how much you appreciate everything they do for you. These doctors, nurses, midwives, and behavioral health professionals worry about you more than you know.
Write a letter to the editor or post a note online
Advocacy is a big part of National Rural Health Day. If you write something important or creative enough, it may go viral. Then you're hitting an even bigger audience than you originally intended. Get your voice out there and let everybody know that rural communities need love too.
Sources:
https://nationaltoday.com/national-rural-health-day/
https://www.powerofrural.org/about-nrhd/