Health and poverty in rural Scotland

This paper presents findings from a study on rural disadvantage to explore the implications of disadvantage for the health of rural communities and the organisation and delivery of health care services in rural areas. Rural health research has been a neglected topic. Yet previous research has reported the importance local people and practitioners place on the provision and organisation of health services in rural areas.' The research reported in this paper further emphasises this point and, in addition, provides empirical data on local people and practitioners perceptions of health issues and health services in four areas of rural Scotland.