According to the CDC, more than 46 million Americans, or 15 percent of the U.S. population, live in rural areas as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Rural Americans face higher risks of death due to factors like limited access to specialized medical care and emergency services, and exposure to specific environmental hazaards. They are more likely to die from heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke than their urban counterparts. Unintentional injury deaths are approximately 50 percent higher in rural areas than in urban areas, partly due to greater risk of death from motor vehicle crashes and opioid overdoses. In general, residents of rural areas in the United States tend to be older and sicker than their urban counterparts. These challenges highlight the need for additional attention and resources aimed at improving health in rural America. Rural areas could benefit from improved public health programs that support healthier behaviors and neighborhoods, and better access to healthcare services. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC 2023)
The Rural Health Webinar Series from the NNLM is an exploration of the efforts that communities take to address the unique health needs of rural populations in the United States. The series features presentations and discussions from expert guest speakers and NNLM staff that will enable librarians, public health workers and community members to learn more about rural health topics.
Check out these events from November 6-21, 2024
General
Growing Racial Diversity in Rural America: Results from the 2020 Census | University of New Hampshire, Carsey School of Public Policy
MedlinePlus: Rural Health Concerns | National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus is a service of the National Library of Medicine and links to NIH and other reputable health information sites. The Rural Health Concerns topic page defines rural health, has information on prevention and risk factors and related issues.
Rural Classification | U.S. Department of Agriculture: Economic Research Services: Provides information on how rural areas are defined.
Rural Health | Health Resources and Services Administration
NNLM Reading Club Rural Health | Network of the National Library of Medicine: The NNLM Reading club recommends books on health topics meant for book discussion groups. The Rural Health page links to general information about rural health. Also included are discussion guides for each title along with videos to author interviews about the books.
Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network | Oregon Health & Science University
Rural Economy & Population | U.S. Department of Agriculture: Economic Research Services: Is a topic area of the USDA's Resarch services that provides information on the economy, employment and education, natural amenities, population and migration and rural poverty and well-being.
Rural Health | U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The CDC's Rural Health page covers health topics, policy briefs and other resources.
Rural Health Information Hub | Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
- Rural Health Information Hub by Topic Area | Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA)
- Rural Health Information Hub by State | Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA)
Rural Public Health | U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The CDC's Rural Public Health Strategic Plan outlines key priorities, objectives, and outcomes to improve the health of people living in rural America.
Urban and Rural | U.S. Census Bureau
Special Issues
Food Insecurity in the Appalachian Region | Appalachian Regional Commission
Pathways to Prevention (P2P) Program | National Institute of Health
Rural Americans are More Likely to Die Young Why | Washington Post, KFF Health News
Rural Assembly | Center for Rural Strategies
Rural Health Research Gateway| Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
Rural Hospital Deserts | Investigate TV
Rural Hospital Closures Threaten Access | American Hospital Association
Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas | Rural Health Information Hub
Special Issues Libraries
Catawba County: Leveraging Healthy People 2030 Objectives and Community Partnerships to Deliver More than Books | Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Facilitating rural access to quality health information through little libraries | Journal of Medical Librarianship Association
NNLM Reading Club: Rural Health | Network of the National Libraries of Medicine
Rural Libraries Promoting Walking and Walkability in Their Rural Communities | National Libraries of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Center
Serving Patrons with Disabilities in Rural and Small Libraries, a Practitioner’s Guide | American Library Association
Special Isssues Telehealth
Empowering Patients Through Digital Literacy | | Health Resources and Services Administration
Rural Telehealth Toolkit | Upper Midwest Telehealth Resource Center
Telehealth for Rural Areas: Introduction to Rural Heath | Health Resources and Services Administration
The following webinars are part of the NNLM's Rural Health Webinar Series that is taking place from November 6th to 21st, 2024.
- Building Healthy, Resilient Communities in Florida’s Rural Panhandle | This presentation provides an overview of preliminary data from opioid users and library directors across the nation. Recording coming soon
- Facilitating Rural Access to Quality Health Information through Little Free Libraries | This presentation addresses an NNLM grant-funded community partnership between a public library and a university health science library. Recording coming soon
- Graphic Medicine Discussion: The Most Costly Journey | A discussion of the Graphic Medicine book: The Most Costly Journey, covering topics such as the intersection of race, immigration status and geography on mental health, the uses of graphic medicine to tell overlooked stories, and more. Live webinar on Tuesday, Nov. 12th
- When Your Community Is Your Hospital | This presentation shares an overview of a partnership that connected organizations in the rural northern region of California with a bilingual health educator and delivered local trainings, both in English and Spanish, that allowed community health workers to learn among their peers about the health information resources from the National Library of Medicine and other resources in their communities. Live webinar on Nov. 13th
- Promoting Walking for Health in Rural Communities | Rural American adults have higher rates of chronic physical activity-related illness and are less active than their urban counterparts, with less than 20% meeting U.S. physical activity guidelines of 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week. Live webinar on Nov. 14th
- Palmetto Connect: Fostering Digital Inclusion in Rural South Carolina | This session will cover a program designed to help close the digital divide for residents in rural and underserved areas of South Carolina by increasing internet access and affordability, training people in digital literacy, and connecting individuals to quality-of-life resources such as telehealth through digital inclusion. Live webinar on Nov. 19th
- Social Connectedness and Improving the Health of Rural Communities | This presentation reviews possible interventions for improving rural community health through social connectedness. Live webinar on Nov. 20th
- Rural Health Resources | This webinar describes hallmarks of rural America, identifies access challenges of living in rural communities, and equips participants with tools to service the health information needs of those living in rural communities. Live webinar on Nov. 22nd.