Page 138 - fourth year book
P. 138
RURAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Comparison between rural and urban communities:
1. Adults in rural areas have a fewer years of formal education.
2. Rural families tend to be poorer.
3. Rural communities have higher percentages of younger and older
residents.
4. Rural adults are less likely to have preventive health care.
5. Rural residents are more likely to have chronic illness.
6. Rural residents have higher maternal and infant morbidity and
mortality rates.
Factors influencing rural health
I. Rural Health Care Delivery Issues
Communities' health nurses, who practice in rural areas as well as those
who provide outreach services to rural communities, should be aware of
the concerns surrounding.
a) Availability of services:
Availability refers to the existence of services and sufficient personal to
provide those services there are barriers for availability:-
1. Fewer physicians and nurses in general.
2. Fewer family practice physicians, nurse practitioners and
specialists, special services professionals.
3. The per-capita cost of providing special services to a few people
often becomes prohibitive.
b) Accessibility of services:
Accessibility refers to whether a person has the means to obtain and
afford needed services.
Accessibility may be impaired by
the following:-
1. Long travel distances.
2. Lack of public transportation.
3. Lack of telephone services.
4. A shortage of health care
providers.
5. Unpredictable weather
conditions.
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