rural America

Rural Americans Are OK With 'Outside' Help To Beat Opioid Crisis And Boost Economy

12:27pm October 25, 2018

by Frank Morris

Despite a reputation for being suspicious of government and outsiders, some rural residents now say state funds are needed to help fix the big economic and drug problems faced by small towns.

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According to a recent poll by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health more than half of respondents said they knew someone personally affected by suicide.

How One Colorado Town Is Tackling Suicide Prevention — Starting With The Kids

4:27pm October 24, 2018

by Kirk Siegler

Eight of the top ten states with the highest suicide rates are in the Mountain West. Grand Junction, Colo. has launched an ambitious effort starting in the schools to try and address the problem.

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Drug addiction is a big concern to rural Americans, according to a new poll from NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

NPR Poll: Rural Americans Are Worried About Addiction And Jobs, But Remain Optimistic

4:36pm October 16, 2018

What's on people's minds in rural America? A new poll shows that the addiction crisis and economic issues have people worried. But many retain an upbeat outlook about the future of their communities.

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Getting health care to rural areas may involve tough decisions about the role of hospitals.

Rethinking Rural Health Solutions To Save Patients And Communities

3:14pm February 28, 2018

by Adrienne St. Clair

Hospitals have long been linchpins of rural communities, providing jobs as well as health care. But policy analysts say some hospitals may have to change or close to better serve rural health needs.

Christy Torres of Foundations Communities in Austin contacts people who bought insurance on Healthcare.Gov. to tell them it's almost time to renew.

With Federal Funds Cut, Others Must Lead Health Insurance Sign-Up Efforts

5:36pm October 28, 2017

Since the Trump administration slashed outreach funds and shortened the enrollment period to sign up for Affordable Care Act plans, local groups struggle to get the word out to Latinos and others.

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A mountain of mine tailings frame a Bisbee park — a legacy of the copper mines that once fueled the local economy.

Doctor Shortage In Rural Arizona Sparks Another Crisis In 'Forgotten America'

10:03pm July 14, 2017

by Kirk Siegler

More than 70 rural U.S. hospitals have closed since 2010, and rural areas are likely to be short 45,000 doctors by 2020. It's one more example of the nation's division between haves and have-nots.

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"We should be around the world. But we should also be focused on our own backyards," Microsoft President Brad Smith says.

Microsoft Courts Rural America, And Politicians, With High-Speed Internet

9:52am July 11, 2017

by Aarti Shahani

In rural America, 23.4 million people do not have high-speed Internet. Microsoft plans to change that, in an effort that uses cheap technology and appeals to the lowest common denominator in politics.

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Greta Elliott, who manages a health clinic in Canby, Calif., says she didn't buy health insurance for herself because she thinks it's too expensive.

In A Conservative Corner Of California, A Push To Preserve Obamacare

4:29pm July 05, 2017

by April Dembosky

A coalition of health clinics in northeast California is asking local officials to defend the Affordable Care Act. And some are, despite the area's conservative politics.

Volunteers distribute free food at the mobile pantry in Hurley, Va. Poverty in the coal-mining region is 29 percent, twice the national average. Unemployment is also high, and younger families are moving out.

In Some Rural Counties, Hunger Is Rising, But Food Donations Aren't

8:42pm May 22, 2017

by Pam Fessler

Pantries in southwest Virginia — where poverty is rampant and coal jobs are vanishing — will take whatever they can get to stock bare shelves. Some also offer help with health care and job training.

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McMahan pays a house call on a Tlingit elder named Evelyn Hotch, who is bedridden after a stroke.

In Rural Alaska, A Young Doctor Walks To His Patient's Bedside

6:52pm May 13, 2017

by Melissa Block

Dr. Adam McMahan comes to Klukwan, a tiny town in Southeast Alaska, just two days a week. But he's come to know his patients well, and attends to more than just their medical needs.

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