Rural Healthy People 2020: New Decade, Same Challenges.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Rural Health Studies
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The health of rural America is integral to national well-being.
• Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) established national health objectives.
• Rural Healthy People 2020 aimed to align rural health priorities with national goals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify rural health priorities through a national survey.
• To compare rural priorities with existing Healthy People 2020 objectives.
• To assess progress and inform future rural health initiatives.

Main Methods:

• A national web survey was distributed to rural health stakeholders (n=1,214).
• Respondents identified their top 10 rural health priorities from HP2020 list.
• Participants also selected specific objectives and provided additional feedback.

Main Results:

• Access to healthcare consistently emerged as the primary rural health priority.
• Key concerns within access include emergency services, primary care, and insurance.
• Other high-ranking priorities include nutrition, diabetes, mental health, and substance abuse.

Conclusions:

• Rural health priorities have remained largely consistent over the last decade.
• Addressing healthcare access is paramount for improving rural health outcomes.
• The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions for chronic diseases and mental health in rural populations.