This blog post was prepared by RNO Website Committee Chair Joan Grant Keltner.
- A report, Rural Healthy People 2030, recently identified major rural health priorities over the next 10 years. These priorities are essential for rural health providers, researchers, and key policy leaders in working together to address these top concerns. Health Care Access and Quality was identified as the single, most paramount issue for those living in rural areas, with several top-ranking categories, including Mental Health and Mental Disorders, 2) Addiction, 3) Overweight and Obesity, and 4) Drug and Alcohol Use. Health promotion, drug and alcohol use, preventive care, and nutrition/healthy eating were important health behaviors, with a special focus on older adults, children, and adolescents (Callahan et al., 2023).
Callaghan, T., Kassabian, M., Johnson, N., Shrestha, A., Helduser, J., Horel, S., Bolin, J. N., & Ferdinand, A. O. (2023). Rural healthy people 2030: New decade, new challenges. Preventive Medicine Reports, 33, 102176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102176
- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking information until November 23 from rural health professionals regarding strategies to enhance general maternal healthcare outcomes. The FCC posed several questions and desires information regarding the efficacy of broadband-enabled technologies, solutions, and services used for maternal care and barriers that prevent virtual care visits and remote patient monitoring services to pregnant and postpartum women. As healthcare professionals, we are a key element in providing answers to these questions about broadband connectivity and maternal health at: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-invites-public-comment-broadband-connectivity-maternal-health
