Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Genealogy Tells: Informing Health And Aging Policies Using East Tennessean Older Women's Family Histories, Perceptions, And Experiences Of Health Inequity, Heather Davis

Doctoral Dissertations

Older women face unique health inequities challenges. This study aims to provide an understanding of older women’s perceptions and situated experiences regarding the gendered health inequities they face and the social determinants (SDH) thereof. It examines how these health inequities are situated in older women’s genealogical (familial) and geographical health and mortality outcomes histories and how their perceptions and experiences of health inequities and their familial mortality outcomes histories are characterized by the geopolitical and social norms in which they live. The purpose of this project is to present policy and decision-makers with insights about and recommendations from older women …

Rural Hospital Closures And Perceived Access To Care: A Qualitative Descriptive Study In An Appalachian County Of Tennessee, Amanda M. Letheren

Doctoral Dissertations

Background: Tennessee has suffered more hospital closures per capita than anywhere else in the nation. The impact of hospital closures on access to care in rural and economically distressed Appalachian counties of Tennessee is of particular concern because these communities experience great health disparities. Hospital closures may exacerbate these disparities and create additional barriers when accessing care.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe community residents’ perceptions of health and access to care following a hospital closure in a rural and economically distressed Appalachian county of Tennessee.

Methods: This study used a qualitative descriptive approach to present community …