전국 농촌 보건의 날 honors the dedication and resilience of rural health professionals, organizations, and communities across the country.
About Rural America
In the United States, rural areas make up 86% of the country’s land – with almost 20% of the country’s population living there. In Virginia, these numbers are similar: 88% of the state is rural, with 26% of Virginians live in these communities.
Rural areas face a disproportionate rate of health challenges compared to urban areas, including:
- Shortage of qualified health care providers and limited access to specialized care
- Higher rates of poverty and food insecurity
- Higher rates of cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, and obesity
버지니아주 농촌 보건국
Virginia’s State Office of Rural Health (SORH) works to tackle the root causes of rural health disparities, improve access to quality healthcare and advance health equity in underserved areas.
They do this by:
- Delivering technical support
- Providing updates on healthcare regulations
- Sharing essential resources
- Collaborating with community organizations and healthcare providers
An example of SORH’s work is the supporting the launch of a Food as Medicine pilot. Its goal is to improve population health through food-based interventions. It also works to remove barriers to accessing healthy foods.
These pilots connect hospital patients with fresh foods and produce at farmers markets. Patients receive:
- A produce prescription
- Grocery vouchers
- Culinary medicine education demonstrations.
These pilots are currently at Lee County Community Hospital and Dickenson Community Hospital. The Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program provides funds for the program.