NRHA's Rural Health Voices blog offers informed commentary on the latest news in rural health care from NRHA staff and editorials from selected contributors.
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Author:
Angela Lutz
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Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States, contributing to the deaths of more than 300,000 Americans annually. Being obese or overweight puts individuals at risk for many chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and some forms of cancer. In many cases, obesity can also impact and be exacerbated by a person’s mental health and well-being, contributing to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and sleep disorders.
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Author:
Angela Lutz
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Education is vital to achieving rural LGBTQ+ health equity, but many health care providers and staff do not receive training specific to these populations in school. Without access to high quality, timely, and affirming care, LGBTQ+ residents may go without necessary routine or preventive care and may have a harder time getting appropriate care during acute and emergency situations.
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Rural health care often conjures images of shuttered hospitals and the slow exodus of the young to urban areas. Yet each rural community has its own unique identity with its own challenges and opportunities. The independent spirit that fuels rural America presents opportunities to develop unique and innovative solutions to the obstacles faced by rural health care providers.
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Author:
Angela Lutz
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NRHA recently sat down with NRHA President and longtime NRHA member Beth O’Connor to learn more about her rural health priorities, her goals as NRHA president, and why she is excited to attend NRHA’s Annual Rural Health Conference in Albuquerque. A passionate rural health advocate, O’Connor has attended her fair share of Zoom calls and virtual meetings during the pandemic and is ready to see everyone in person.
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Author:
Angela Lutz
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A big factor contributing to rural health care worker burnout is the all-encompassing job of responding to the pandemic with resources that are already stretched thin. Identifying and responding to burnout is so vital because the consequences of ignoring it can be devastating for providers and patients alike.
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Author:
Rural Horizons
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The next generation of rural health leaders has a growing influence on where rural health is heading. They have the dynamic skills and diverse perspectives needed to shape the health care systems of the future. To harness this potential, the National Rural Health Association’s Rural Health Fellows program provides a springboard for turning ideas into action through health policy. Alumni of the Fellows program have gone on not only to shine in their fields but to transform them.
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Author:
Rural Horizons
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Nearly two years after the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, science is still revealing new facts about the SARS-CoV-2 virus, who’s most vulnerable, and how well vaccines are working to stem its spread. But in rural America, several key understandings have emerged: Rural residents have been hit harder by infection rates and deaths than urban dwellers, while also facing regionspecific challenges related to vaccine uptake.
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Author:
Rural Horizons
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Fresh faces and new tools have bolstered NRHA’s advocacy efforts over the past year, with new Government Affairs staff aiming to revitalize member outreach and make it easier to promote rural health during the pandemic and beyond.
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Author:
Rural Horizons
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When the pandemic hit, health care professionals were faced with a new world. They set to work, mapping resources from scratch, improvising networks and procedures and nodes of communication, all to help their communities stay safe.
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Author:
Rural Horizons
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Building a diverse dental health workforce is a key component of health equity, which is critical to improving oral health access in rural America. We can all be part of this mission when we nurture opportunities for diverse groups in dental health professions.
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