Ethnic
Studies and Sociology 499/599: Learning Through Listening, Native American
Issues in Rural
2007 Spring Break Course
http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/soc204/plazad/native3/index.htm
Introduction:
The purpose
of this course is to bring together diverse community members together in order
to learn about sustainable rural development in
This
class was one of the best learning experiences of my life, we learned a great deal
not only about the community we were researching but about ourselves. We started out as 20 individuals who had no
idea what they were up against and in the end we became a team or a family as I
like to call it. Over the course I
learned to become an active listener, facilitator, presenter, recorder, and may
other things. As a group we learned a
lot about the diverse and complex issues that a rural community can face, and
in our case it was about a long ongoing water issue between two cultures. I also learned that people are more for each
other in a rural community, most things that happen are for the community as a
whole and not for an individual; they are there for one another. Rather than in urban areas people are always
strictly thinking of themselves.
This is a
picture of the amazing
My Main Topic Of Interest: Health Issues in Rural Areas
Rural
communities have been struggling to maintain adequate emergency medical
services (
In rural areas, lack of access to preventive, routine medical,
specialty and emergency services, along with older populations
and higher rates of poverty, contribute to the problem.
The American Public Health Association
(APHA) published a fact sheet
on health disparities in rural areas. Some of the highlights include:
- “Injury-related deaths
are 40 percent higher in rural communities than in urban communities.”
- “Heart disease, cancer
and diabetes rates are higher in rural areas.”
- “And even though 20 percent
of people live in rural areas, only 9 percent of physicians practice in
rural areas.”
The
importance of addressing mental health needs in rural areas is growing. Ideas for solutions are being proposed and
used throughout the country. Some
communities are working to integrate mental health and primary care services
through providing primary care doctors with additional training. Roughly four of every five individuals seek
help for a behavioral or mental health issue with their primary care physician
first. “In other areas, mental health professionals’ travel once or more per
week to rural communities for client appointments.” Telemedicine is also seen
by some as a part of the solution, especially for the most isolated
patients. Through this technology,
mental health care providers can connect with patients from a distance.
HIV/AIDS
has also become worse and has always been largely considered an urban
problem. However, HIV has spread too
many rural communities in
One
of the largest concerns is the lack of access to care and necessary services
for people living with HIV/AIDS in rural areas.
Thirty eight percent of rural HIV patients see doctors who have treated
fewer than 10 patients with the virus, compared to 3 percent in urban areas. People living with HIV/AIDS in rural areas
have higher rates of depression and feelings of isolation than their urban
counterparts.
As
you can see the health care professionals and doctors are aware of this care
needed in rural areas. Over time it is
hoped that the health care of these people will decrease to even better of that
from the past.
The
National Advisory Committee
Improving Health Care for Rural Populations
OSU Home Page