About Pennsylvania Rural Health Association

In August, 2000, the Pennsylvania Department of Health released the State Health Improvement Plan: Special Report and Plan to Improve Rural Health Status. The release of this report was a watershed event in efforts to address issues of rural public health in Pennsylvania in that it presented the first look at the state’s health status relative to community urbanization level. Specific findings demonstrated a number of disparities in health status between rural and non-rural citizens in areas that included cardiovascular disease, suicide, workforce injuries, motor vehicle injuries and lack of prenatal care during the first trimester of pregnancy.

While it is clear that rural citizens experience significant health disparities, the vast majority of health-related research and practice efforts in rural communities focus on assuring access to health care services. Undoubtedly access to care is an issue critical to improving health status throughout rural Pennsylvania, but equal in importance are issues such as health behavior, environmental health, infectious disease surveillance, and other issues of public health interest. A necessary ingredient for addressing these issues is a strong rural public health infrastructure staffed by a well-trained public health workforce.

Legislative Agenda

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Documentation

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Rural Health Resources

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Organizations

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Funding Sources

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