For National Rural Health Day (Nov. 21), we are highlighting the significant health challenges facing rural communities both in Indiana and nationwide. Rural communities across America face a mounting health care crisis marked by hospital closures, provider shortages, and delayed emergency response times. These problems compound together to create significantly worse health outcomes for rural areas, with higher rates of mortality for most major causes of death occurring in rural areas as compared to urban zones. These problems are particularly exacerbated by a lack of health workers: Rural areas have significantly fewer health care providers per capita, with important gaps in specialists, mental health professionals, and primary care physicians. This provider scarcity creates dangerous barriers to medical care for rural communities.
Check out the infographic below for some alarming facts on rural health disparities both in Indiana and the United States. These statistics paint a concerning picture of the current state of rural health care access and the resulting impact on community health outcomes.
The charts and graphics used in this infographic were originally prepared for a presentation on rural health given earlier this year by Sierra Vaughn, Bowen’s Assistant Director of Data and Research. You can check out a blog post about her presentation and download her powerpoint here.
OTHER BOWEN RESOURCES RELATED TO RURAL HEALTH:
Almost all of our health workforce data and reports touch on rural health communities in one way or another, but these two resources are particularly focused on challenges related to rural communities:
- PLAYBOOK: Mental and behavioral health challenges are particularly acute in rural communities in Indiana and nationwide. Bowen has developed a detailed plan to tackle Indiana’s mental health crisis, called the Playbook for Enhancing Indiana’s Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce. Check out the Playbook project home page here.
- EMS: Emergency Medical Services also pose a critical challenge to rural communities in Indiana and across the country, with significantly slower response times in most rural areas for emergency services. See more details about tackling this critical health workforce shortage on our dedicated EMS project page or by downloading our 2023 report on this topic here.
↓↓ Keep scrolling to see a full infographic on rural health challenges in both Indiana and the United States as a whole. ↓↓
Sources:
- Rural Population Health in the United States: A Chartbook. 2023. NC Rural Health Research Program
- O’Grady E, Bugbee M, Fenne M. Private Equity Descends on Rural Healthcare. 2023. Private Equity Stakeholder Project
- Indiana Hospital Mergers/Acquisitions, Expansion, & Closures. 2024 Employers’ Forum of Indiana.
- Jonk, Y., Milkowski, C., Croll, Z., & Pearson, K. (2023). Ambulance Deserts: Geographic Disparities in the Provision of Ambulance Services [Chartbook]. University of Southern Maine, Muskie School, Maine Rural Health Research Center.
- Rural Health Information Hub; Addressing Rural Health Worker Shortages Will Improve Population Health and Create Job Opportunities. 2024. U.S. Congress Join Economic Committee.
- Crouch E, Nelson J, Merrell MA, Martin A. The oral health status of America’s rural children: An opportunity for policy change. J Public Health Dent. 2021 Dec;81(4):251-260. doi: 10.1111/jphd.12444. Epub 2021 Jan 27. PMID: 33501720. Rural/Urban Differences in Children’s Health. NSCH Data Brief. 2020. Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health
- Maxey H, Medlock C, Vaughn S. Indiana’s School-Based Health Workforce. 2020. Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy, Indiana University School of Medicine.
- Albert, Jim. “Strategies to rebuild rural health care facilities: focusing capital in key areas can help to strengthen rural hospital and provide stability.” Health Facilities Management, American Hospital Association. August 26, 2020
- Nowak, Tim. 10 things rural EMS providers need to consider. EMS1, Pulsara, April 2, 2021
- Community Health & Wellness Partners – https://chwpcares.org/school-based-health-center/