Achieving Rural Health Equity and Well-Being: Proceedings of a Workshop

Rural Counties Make Up About 80 Percent Of The Land Area Of The United States, But They Contain Less Than 20 Percent Of The U.s. Population. The Relative Sparseness Of The Population In Rural Areas Is One Of Many Factors That Influence The Health And Well-being Of Rural Americans. Rural Areas Have Histories, Economies, And Cultures That Differ From Those Of Cities And From One Rural Area To Another. Understanding These Differences Is Critical To Taking Steps To Improve Health And Well-being In Rural Areas And To Reduce Health Disparities Among Rural Populations. To Explore The Impacts Of Economic, Demographic, And Social Issues In Rural Communities And To Learn About Asset-based Approaches To Addressing The Associated Challenges, The National Academies Of Sciences, Engineering, And Medicine Held A Workshop On June 13, 2017. This Publication Summarizes The Presentations And Discussions From The Workshop. Introduction -- Potential Challenges And Opportunities In Rural Communities -- Leveraging Resources To Advance Equity In Rural Areas -- Building Greater Prosperity In Rural Communities -- Equitable Access To Health And Health Care -- Final Reflections National Academies Of Sciences, Engineering, And Medicine, Health And Medicine Division, Board On Population Health And Public Health Practice, Roundtable On The Promotion Of Health Equity ; Roundtable On Population Health Improvement ; Steve Olson And Karen M. Anderson, Rapporteurs. Includes Bibliographical References. This Activity Was Supported By Contracts Between The National Academy Of Sciences And Aetna Foundation (15-1381); The California Endowment (20171618); General Electric; Health Resources And Services Administration (hhsh25034007t); Kaiser Permanente; The Kresge Foundation (r-1512-255471); New York State Health Foundation (15-03733); Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (73263); And U.s. Department Of Health And Human Services (hhsp23337054). Any Opinions, Findings, Conclusions, Or Recommendations Expressed In This Publication Do Not Necessarily Reflect The Views Of Any Organization Or Agency That Provided Support For The Project.