scholarly journals Rural Population Health and Aging: Toward a Multilevel and Multidimensional Research Agenda for the 2020s

2020 ◽  
Vol 110 (9) ◽  
pp. 1328-1331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leif Jensen ◽  
Shannon M. Monnat ◽  
John J. Green ◽  
Lori M. Hunter ◽  
Martin J. Sliwinski
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Ethnic Diversity ◽  
Rural Population ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
New Research ◽  
Rural Places

The unique health and aging challenges of rural populations often go unnoticed. In fact, the rural United States is home to disproportionate shares of older and sicker people, there are large and growing rural–urban and within-rural mortality disparities, many rural communities are in population decline, and rural racial/ethnic diversity is increasing. Yet rural communities are not monolithic, and although some rural places are characterized by declining health, others have seen large improvements in population health. We draw on these realities to call for new research in five areas. First, research is needed to better describe health disparities between rural and urban areas and, because rural places are not monolithic, across rural America. Second, research is needed on how trends in rural population health and aging are affecting rural communities. Third, research is needed on the ways in which economic well-being and livelihood strategies interact with rural health and aging. Fourth, we need to better understand the health implications of the physical and social isolation characterizing many rural communities. Finally, we argue for new research on the implications of local natural environments and climate change for rural population health and aging.

E Bario Project

2004 ◽  
pp. 115-131
Author(s):  
Poline Bala ◽  
Roger W. Harris ◽  
Peter Songan
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Close Association ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Information Communication ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
The People ◽  
The Many

This chapter highlights an initiative by a group of researchers2 from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) to connect villagers in the remote and isolated village of Bario to Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), which include computers, telephones, the Internet, and VSATs. This project has eased the information flow in and out of Bario, affecting the well-being of the people by providing a means to keep in touch with friends and relatives in urban areas. The response of the Bario community has been positive, but the objective of the e Bario project is more ambitious than to just provide access to the Internet, computers and other related technologies. The main objective is to identify opportunities for remote and rural communities in Sarawak to develop socially, culturally and economically from the deployment of the technologies. The results of the initiative are expected to demonstrate the many ways in which ICTs can be used to improve the lives of marginalized groups, specifically, here, the rural and remote communities in Malaysia. However, to ensure that the objectives will ultimately be met, the team has had to search for an appropriate methodology that will ensure the full benefits of the initiative to the community. This chapter describes and discusses the approaches adopted, emphasizing the benefits of a close association between the researchers and the community as well as the adoption of suitable participatory methods for engaging with the needs and opportunities that were discovered.

scholarly journals Mental Health & Resiliency: Designing Participatory Nature Dependent Environments and Communities for a Sustainable Future

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Beam ◽  
Nawari O. Nawari ◽  
Bill Tilson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Urban Planning ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Community Planning ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Natural Environments

Sustainable design trends have historically wended down a road that supports the idea of densely populated urban planning as a strategy for mitigating sprawl. Creation of dense urban areas aims at the reduction of carbon emissions. However, studies show that densely populated areas often come with a panacea of mental health, resiliency, and quality of life ails for a community.The following research explores the possibility of combining densely populated design approaches with ancient community planning methods that encourage relationship building: close contact with natural environments and social interchange. Community planning that also creates a day to day contact with nature could be a crucial strategy for both sustaining healthy ecosystems and the development of sustainable communities. The potential for integrating dependence upon nature within built urban environments, as well as the possibility of positive place-making by harvesting nature dependent cultural and social assets in communities and neighborhoods, is, therefore, a wealthy area worthy of exploration.To explore these areas, mental health research on the effects of nature on the brain, as well as the three leading determinants of social, environmental and economic well-being, worldwide, and the founding cultures of these determinants were reviewed. Resilient indigenous groups and case studies of the happiest nation, of Norway and two leading environmentally sustainable and resilient countries, Costa Rica, Cuba, and New Mexico are examined. The paper provides recommendations for improving mental health and resilience by integrating strategies for nature and community needs in urban planning and built environments design.

scholarly journals We need to worry about Bella and Charlie: the impacts of pet cats on Australian wildlife

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Legge ◽  
John C. Z. Woinarski ◽  
Chris R. Dickman ◽  
Brett P. Murphy ◽  
Leigh-Ann Woolley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Introduced Species ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Domestic Cat ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Residential Areas ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Predation Rates

Research and management attention on the impacts of the introduced domestic cat (Felis catus) on Australian fauna have focussed mainly on the feral population. Here, we summarise the evidence for impacts of predation by pet cats on Australian wildlife. We collate examples of local wildlife population decline and extirpation as a result, at least in part, of predation by pet cats. We assemble information across 66 studies of predation by pet cats worldwide (including 24 Australian studies) to estimate the predation toll of pet cats in Australia, plus the predation pressure per unit area in residential areas. We compared these estimates to those published for feral cats in Australia. The per capita kill rate of pet cats is 25% that of feral cats. However, pet cats live at much higher densities, so the predation rate of pets per square kilometre in residential areas is 28–52 times larger than predation rates by feral cats in natural environments, and 1.3–2.3 times greater than predation rates per km2 by feral cats living in urban areas. Pet cats kill introduced species more often than do feral cats living in natural environments, but, nonetheless, the toll of native animals killed per square kilometre by pet cats in residential areas is still much higher than the toll per square kilometre by feral cats. There is no evidence that pet cats exert significant control of introduced species. The high predation toll of pet cats in residential areas, the documented examples of declines and extirpations in populations of native species caused by pet cats, and potential pathways for other, indirect effects (e.g. from disease, landscapes of fear, ecological footprints), and the context of extraordinary impacts from feral cats on Australian fauna, together support a default position that pet cat impacts are serious and should be reduced. From a technical perspective, the pet cat impacts can be reduced more effectively and humanely than those of feral cats, while also enhancing pet cat welfare. We review the management options for reducing predation by pet cats, and discuss the opportunities and challenges for improved pet cat management and welfare.

scholarly journals “Invisible” Agents of Rural Development. Russian Immigrant Women in the Finnish Border Region

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maarit Sireni ◽  
Pirjo Pöllänen ◽  
Olga Davydova-Minguet
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Rural Development ◽  
Immigrant Women ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Ethnographic Interviews ◽  
Local Resilience ◽  
Transnational Connections ◽  
The Impact

The rural region of North Karelia is located close to the Finnish-Russian border, and faces challenges due to population decline and labor shortage. However, it has a unique strength which is its proximity to Russia. This paper analyses the perceived role of immigration in enhancing the vitality of North Karelia. It investigates how the impact of immigration is presented in the regional media, and how Russian-speaking immigrant women’s roles as “agents of development” can be interpreted on the basis of their interviews. The analysis is based on text material obtained from the regional newspaper, and ethnographic interviews conducted among Russian-speaking immigrant women. Findings based on the newspaper material indicate that immigrants are valued primarily for their contribution to regional economic development. However, in some of the texts, immigrants are presented as an integral part of the region’s population, who diversify the skills of communities and thus create potential for promoting local resilience. The analysis of the interview data indicates that the proximity of the border, transnational connections, and ethno-cultural capital which is based on immigrants’ national background are important factors that impact on the attractiveness of North Karelia for Russian immigrant women. Everyday transnational multiculturalism encompasses women’s precarious employment which impacts on the well-being of broader communities on both sides of the border. Although Russian immigrant women are a vital part of these communities, they do not themselves participate in the newspaper discussions about the vitality of rural communities. This indicates that Russian women are “invisible” agents of rural development, who are not fully recognized as contributors of resilience in North Karelia.

scholarly journals Social Media Reveals Urban-Rural Differences in Stress across China

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse Cui ◽  
Tingdan Zhang ◽  
Dandan Pang ◽  
Kokil Jaidka ◽  
Garrick Sherman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Rural Regions ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Different Sources

Modeling differential stress expressions in urban and rural regions in China can provide a better understanding of the effects of urbanization on psychological well-being in a country that has rapidly grown economically in the last two decades. This paper studies linguistic differences in the experiences and expressions of stress in urban-rural China from Weibo posts from over 65,000 users across 329 counties using hierarchical mixed-effects models. We analyzed phrases, topical themes, and psycho-linguistic word choices in Weibo posts mentioning stress to better understand appraisal differences surrounding psychological stress in urban and rural communities in China; we then compared them with large-scale polls from Gallup. After controlling for socioeconomic and gender differences, we found that rural communities tend to express stress in emotional and personal themes such as relationships, health, and opportunity while users in urban areas express stress using relative, temporal, and external themes such as work, politics, and economics. These differences exist beyond controlling for GDP and urbanization, indicating a fundamentally different lifestyle between rural and urban residents in very specific environments, arguably having different sources of stress. We found corroborative trends in physical, financial, and social wellness with urbanization in Gallup polls.

Reimagining Rural: Shifting Paradigms About Health and Well-Being in the Rural United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
R.A. Afifi ◽  
E.A. Parker ◽  
G. Dino ◽  
D.M. Hall ◽  
B. Ulin
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Rural Health ◽  
Health Equity ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Annual Review ◽  
Publication Date ◽  
Rural Places ◽  
Health And Well Being

Rural health disparities have attracted increased national attention, compelling an expanded focus on rural health research. In this manuscript, we deconstruct the definitions and narratives of “rural” communities and suggest that a paradigm shift is needed that centers the complexity and strength of rural places. We discuss the relevance of health equity frameworks, implementation science, and community-engaged approaches to promote rural well-being. Focusing on rural in its own right will lead to intervention innovations and reinvention with implications beyond rural areas. We conclude with suggestions for research and practice to inspire renewed interest in partnering with rural communities to promote health equity. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Public Health, Volume 43 is April 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

E Bario Project

2008 ◽  
pp. 826-839
Author(s):  
Poline Bala ◽  
Roger W. Harris ◽  
Peter Songan
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Close Association ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Information Communication ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
The People ◽  
The Many

This chapter highlights an initiative by a group of researchers2 from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) to connect villagers in the remote and isolated village of Bario to Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), which include computers, telephones, the Internet, and VSATs. This project has eased the information flow in and out of Bario, affecting the well-being of the people by providing a means to keep in touch with friends and relatives in urban areas. The response of the Bario community has been positive, but the objective of the e Bario project is more ambitious than to just provide access to the Internet, computers and other related technologies. The main objective is to identify opportunities for remote and rural communities in Sarawak to develop socially, culturally and economically from the deployment of the technologies. The results of the initiative are expected to demonstrate the many ways in which ICTs can be used to improve the lives of marginalized groups, specifically, here, the rural and remote communities in Malaysia. However, to ensure that the objectives will ultimately be met, the team has had to search for an appropriate methodology that will ensure the full benefits of the initiative to the community. This chapter describes and discusses the approaches adopted, emphasizing the benefits of a close association between the researchers and the community as well as the adoption of suitable participatory methods for engaging with the needs and opportunities that were discovered.

scholarly journals Patients’ and caregivers’ perspectives on access to kidney replacement therapy in rural communities: systematic review of qualitative studies

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. e037529
Author(s):  
Nicole Jane Scholes-Robertson ◽  
Martin Howell ◽  
Talia Gutman ◽  
Amanda Baumgart ◽  
Victoria SInka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Replacement Therapy ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Cultural Safety ◽  
Kidney Replacement Therapy

ObjectivePatients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) requiring kidney replacement therapy (KRT) in rural communities encounter many barriers in accessing equitable care and have worse outcomes compared with patients in urban areas. This study aims to describe the perspectives of patients and caregivers on access to KRT in rural communities to inform strategies to maximise access to quality care, and thereby reduce disadvantage, inequity and improve health outcomes.Setting18 studies (n=593 participants) conducted across eight countries (Australia, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, Ghana, the USA, Tanzania and India).ResultsWe identified five themes: uncertainty in navigating healthcare services (with subthemes of struggling to absorb information, without familiarity and exposure to options, grieving former roles and yearning for cultural safety); fearing separation from family and home (anguish of homesickness, unable to fulfil family roles and preserving sense of belonging in community); intense burden of travel and cost (poverty of time, exposure to risks and hazards, and taking a financial toll); making life-changing sacrifices; guilt and worry in receiving care (shame in taking resources from others, harbouring concerns for living donor, and coping and managing in isolation).ConclusionPatients with CKD in rural areas face profound and inequitable challenges of displacement, financial burden and separation from family in accessing KRT, which can have severe consequences on their well-being and outcomes. Strategies are needed to improve access and reduce the burden of obtaining appropriate KRT in rural communities.

Conclusions

2019 ◽  
pp. 354-356
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Ethnic Diversity ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Built Environments ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

Urban environments can be toxic to people’s mental health. Life in the city can also have positive impact on education, cultural enrichment, and employment opportunities and access to services when needed. Wide variety of housing and transport can help. Cities can also provide sexual and ethnic diversity. As most clinical services themselves are set in the urban areas, clinicians often do not understand the impact of urban environment on people’s well-being. Similarly, very often urban designers and city planners do not take into account the effect built environments can have on people’s mental health. It is critical that as part of prevention of mental illnesses and promotion of mental health both groups work with other stakeholders to ensure that urban environments are safe and clean and provide a milieu for people to work, play, and live in without endangering their well-being. Joint working should be the first crucial step.

Gossip and Addiction Recovery in Rural Communities

2021 ◽  
pp. 104973232110411
Author(s):  
Amy R. Krentzman ◽  
Lauren K. Glass
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Rural Life ◽  
Central Feature ◽  
Addiction Recovery ◽  
Early Recovery ◽  
The Impact

Features of rural life, such as low population density and greater distances from urban areas, could worsen the prospects of addiction recovery for rural residents. Gossip is a central feature of rural life, and studies have shown that being the target of it can worsen health and well-being. However, no previous study has focused on the impact of gossip on addiction in rural communities. The current study employed semi-structured interviews with individuals in recovery, as well as addiction providers, to create a conceptual model of the relationship between gossip and addiction recovery in a rural region of Minnesota. The conceptual model depicted a bi-directional relationship between the individual and the community and suggested that gossip transforms from negative to positive over the course of addiction, early recovery, and long-term recovery. These data demonstrate that education at both the community and individual levels could support the transition to long-term recovery.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document