Health in Rural Mississippi

• One-fourth of America's population lives in rural areas comprising 80% of the Nation’s lands. Rural residents have higher poverty rates, include a larger percentage of elderly, tend to be in poorer health, have fewer doctors, hospitals, and other health resources, and face greater difficulties getting to health services than their urban brethren.
• By comparison, 53% of Mississippi’s population is rural. More than half of our doctors practice in four urban areas and 51 of our 82 counties are considered to be medically underserved. The rural nature of our state contributes to a maldistribution of health care resources and impacts the level of health of our residents.

Mississippi Rural Health Corps

The Mississippi Rural Health Corps is a joint endeavor of the state's 15 community and junior colleges and Mississippi State University Extension Service funded through the United States Department of Agriculture. The purpose of the endeavor is to improve rural health through the education of Mississippi residents and the training of health care professionals in rural practice.

The Corps was created in FY'93 in recognition of ongoing problems related to access to adequate medical care in rural Mississippi and resulting substandard health outcomes. The Corps has made a substantial impact by increasing the number of nurses and allied health professionals in the state and in educating the population on preventive health measures. Amongst the Corps’ many successes are the following:

• Extension Service Agents deliver informal health education and information to over 60,000 Mississippians each year; programs range from managing chronic illnesses (diabetes, hypertension), to early detection of breast cancer, to managing personal and family health care needs, to helping children and youth build healthy life style skills and habits.
• Since the beginning of the Corps, more than 2,900 community college students have received scholarships in health related fields from nursing to dental hygiene to surgical tech and beyond. More than 2500 of those students have either fulfilled or are currently meeting their commitment to practice in rural Mississippi in return for the Corps scholarship.
• Corps sponsored programs such as Rural Medical Scholars and Rural Health Explorers encourage high school students to pursue health related careers. So far seven graduates of the Scholars program, targeted at future doctors, have been accepted to medical school.

HealthConnect

HealthConnect is a new Mississippi State University Service program designed to help rural communities in their efforts to improve local health care. The HealthConnect program provides community support in the development of health facility directories, economic impact analyses, and household and provider surveys. These are combined with leadership and strategic planning sessions to help health administrators and community leaders improve access to and utilization of health care services. Extension Service's area health and economic and community development agents, supported by state-based specialists, work with community groups to identify issues and develop opportunities.

HealthConnect is currently working with the Mississippi Hospital Association across the state and with EC HealthNet, a network of health

The Mississippi Rural Health Association (MRHA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit grassroots membership organization working to improve the health status of rural Mississippians. MRHA's broad-based membership provides networking opportunities and strives to communicate with and educate government agencies, rural consumers and health professionals about timely issues affecting rural health. Anyone with a stake in Mississippi's rural health care is invited to join.

Mississippi State University Extension Service supports the activities of MRHA through the mandate of the Mississippi Rural Health Corps. The MRHA's office is located in Madison at 31 Woodgreen Place. Information about membership and conferences can be obtained on their web site at http://www.msdh.state.ms.us/msdhsite/index.cfm/35,310,111,html

Mississippi State Office of Rural Health

Current program activities of the Office of Rural Health at the Mississippi State Department of Health include:  collecting and evaluating data on rural health conditions and needs; conducting rural health policy analysis and development; providing technical assistance to rural community health systems; assisting in professional recruitment and retention of medical and health care professionals; and maintaining and updating a rural health care information clearinghouse. The state office is funded though the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy and serves to understand and improve rural health conditions within Mississippi.

For additional information about rural health issues and concerns in Mississippi and nationally visit the following websites:

• Mississippi Rural Health Association
• Mississippi Health Policy Research Center
• National Rural Health Association
• Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
• Rural Policy Research Institute
• USDA Rural Information Center
• Rural Assistance Center

References:

Improving Health Care for Rural Populations . Research in Action Fact Sheet. AHCPR Publication No. 96-P040, March 1996. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Rockville, MD.

Amber Waves: The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America. USDA Economic Research Service, February 2003; http://www.ahrq.gov/research/rural.htm