Rural Sociology Commons^™

Older Adult Vaccination Rates Lag In Rural Areas And The South, Claire Pendergrast, Yue Sun

Population Health Research Brief Series

Older adults face especially severe health risks from COVID-19 compared to other age groups. Getting vaccinated is the most effective way for older adults to reduce their risk of serious illness or death. This brief examines geographic trends in COVID-19 vaccination rates for adults age 65+. The authors find that older adult vaccination rates are low in rural areas and especially low in the South.

Implementing Strategies For Strengthening Australia’S Rural Allied Health Workforce, Catherine Cosgrave

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: In many rural places, health services struggle to maintain an adequate health workforce to meet their communities’ health care needs. Shortages of allied health professionals are of particular and growing concern. To address this challenge, a two-year Whole-of-Person Retention Improvement Project was developed involving a research partnership with two rural public health services in Victoria, Australia. This project was informed by the author’s Whole-of-Person Retention Improvement Framework (WoP-RIF), aimed to produce new knowledge for rural health services to attract, recruit, and improve the retention of allied health professionals. A set of evidence-informed and contextually relevant recommendations were made in …

Public Perception Of Forest And Fire Management Policy In Portugal, Jensen Rocha

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The impacts of forest fires are growing as climate change creates more frequent ideal temperature conditions for extreme wildfires. With the devastating fires it experienced in 2017, Portugal stands as an example of the impacts of dangerous wildfires and is working on developing a plan to protect its country from this rising threat. Important in the plan development is the opinion of the many stakeholders involved and the public whom the fires impact. Using an interview and survey approach, this study gathers public and stakeholder opinion on the forest and fire management policy in Portugal to understand what issues in …

Why Are Covid-19 Vaccination Rates Lower In Rural Than In Urban Areas Of The U.S.?, Shannon M. Monnat, Yue Sun

Population Health Research Brief Series

Achieving high vaccination coverage is the best way to prevent coronavirus spread, but COVID-19 vaccination rates vary substantially across the U.S. This brief compares COVID-19 vaccination rates across the U.S. rural-urban continuum and identifies the major contributors to lower rates of vaccination in rural counties. The authors find that higher Trump vote share in the 2020 Presidential election and lower educational attainment collectively explain lower rural vaccination rates.

Readiness For Change, Charlotte Narjes, Marilyn R. Schlake

Cornhusker Economics

One community is innovative in addressing long-term issues and situations related to quality of life, economic impact, and demographic renewal. Another community is not. What is the difference? What can communities do to be ready for change? What role can Extension play in helping a community address complex situations such as identifying new leaders, being competitive in a digital economy, creating healthy communities, or attracting new populations and retaining exciting community members? One key to success is assessing community readiness for change.

香港鄉村地區長者居家養老的需要：錦田例案報告 = The Needs Of Ageing In Place In Rural Hong Kong: The Case Of Kam Tin, Chak Kwan, Dickon Chan, Mun Yu, Vera Tang, Chak Lung Lam, Wing Yin Li, Mei Ling Lee, Seung Wan Wong

APIAS Research Report 研究報告

香港面臨人口高齡化，政府統計處（2020）估計65 歲或以上人口會由2019年的120萬增加至2039年252 萬。長者佔總人口比例亦由18.4%上升至33.3%；而老年撫養比率（65 歲及以上人口相對每千名15 至64 歲人口的比率）將由249大幅上升至508。這意味着社會在撫養和照顧長者, 將會面對更大的壓力。另外，老年家庭人口亦不斷增加, 家庭所有成員均為長者的數目從2006年大約18萬上升至2016年超過30萬（增長67.4%）；獨居長者佔長者人口的比例亦由11.6%上升至13.1% （政府統計處，2018）。面對人口老化﹑雙老及獨居家庭等問題，社區需要有更全面的支持配套，才能使長者有良好的生活質素。

香港「社區照顧」（community care）政策源於政府於1977年發佈的《老人服務綠皮書》，強調居家安老為服務原則。該綠皮書（政府社會事務科，1977，頁5）指出，在社會及財政上而言，最可行的辦法就是提供適當的社會服務以幫助老年人能繼續與社會接觸在一起…當一個家庭在照顧老年人方面感到吃力時，政府便提供各種服務作爲對家庭一種的支持和協助。使老年人能繼續在家庭生活。

儘管政府一直強調「居家安老為本，院舍照顧為後援」，但多年來的資源分佈仍是以院舍照顧服務佔較大比例 （香港政策研究所，2017；羅致光，2018）。政府近年開始作出規劃上的調整，安老事務委員會（2017）於2017年發佈《安老服務計劃方案》建議加大社區照顧服務的比例，將社區照顧服務及院舍照顧服務的名額比率 由2016 年的1:1.3 加大至2031年的1:1.1（安老事務委員會，2017；羅致光， 2018）。因此, 加強「居家安老」政策，將會是政府其中一個安老服務規劃方向。

雖然政府及不同的社福機構在「居家安老」方面都有提供長者服務，但服務主要仍集中在城市，居住鄉村的長者因缺乏資源和渠道，較難得到協助。以居於元朗錦田 的長者為例，公營長者日間護理服務單位，全部位於元朗、天水圍或朗屏市區（社會福利署，2021），與他們的住處有一段距離。此外，針對鄉郊長者情況的「居家安老」服務規劃，亦未有在《安老服務計劃方案》中提及。因此, 本研究選取錦田區的長者作為主要訪談對象, 以了解鄉郊長者的「居家安老」情況。

錦田有悠久歷史，為最早來港定居的鄧氏族人居住地，有相當豐富的歷史建築群（陳天權，2016）。錦田面積龐大，近年開始規劃的錦田南和錦田北，佔地約1,400 公頃 （政府新聞公報，2014），佔元朗區14,430 公頃約一成面積，但人口只有 13,489，佔元朗人口約2% （政府統計處，2017；民政事務署，2021）。政府在錦 田規劃大綱中，仍保留不少地帶作「農業」、「自然保育區」或「鄉村式發展」用途（政府新聞公報，2014，2018）。因此，錦田仍然是本港主要的鄉郊地區之一。

本研究希望了解錦田長者的居家養老狀況和需求，為發展鄉郊長者服務的提供參考 資料。研究團隊探討長者於三個範疇的狀況，包括「社交支持」、「居所及社區支援 服務」和「長期護理服務的認識及意見」，並針對這三部分的發現提供相關建議。

Migration, Marginalization, And Institutional Injustice In The Rural South, Jin Young Choi

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

At the new beginning of the next 50 years of the Southern Rural Sociological Association (SRSA), the SRSA Presidential Address calls for attention to the issues that rural immigrants have faced – the everyday experiences of international migrants, their marginalization, and institutional injustice in rural America, particularly in the rural South. These issues have often been ignored or downplayed in the larger dialogue on rural issues and in the public debates about immigration policy, even though these social problems have been a perennial issue. Rural social scientists are challenged to be organic intellectuals who do not hide in the ivory …

Perceptions Of Future Community And Individual Well-Being In Rural Nebraska, Amanda L. Kowalewski

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Populations of rural areas continue to decline, yet some communities are more vibrant than ever. While past research has studied current satisfaction or well-being, few have examined future well-being. Using an ordinal logistic regression and combining primary and secondary data sources, this study investigates the predictors of rural Nebraskan’s sense of future well-being, both at the community and individual levels. The model indicates that resilience may be more important in well-being than social capital. Additionally, certain satisfaction indicators are more important than others. Factor analysis was employed to re-index variables, and findings were similar. Social capital, resilience, and quality of …

Review Of: Appalachians For Medicaid Website, Kendra Barker Dnp

Journal of Appalachian Health

The Journal of Appalachian Health is committed to reviewing published media that relates to contemporary concepts affecting the health of Appalachia. Access to care and the health disparities we face have a direct effect on our experience of illness. Dr. Kendra Barker reviews the website: Appalachians for Medicaid.

Geospatial Analysis Of Rurality And Food Banks In Appalachian Ohio, Cooper T. Johnson, Rebecca Fischbein, Kristin Baughman

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Food insecurity is a problem for individuals across Ohio, including those living in Appalachia. Adequate access to resources that help combat food insecurity is important for these populations.

Purpose: To examine how rurality relates to food insecurity and need for food resources, as well as availability of those resources including food pantries and soup kitchens, in 15 northern Ohio Appalachian counties.

Methods: A cross-sectional study with a geographical analysis was conducted using data from the American Community Survey census data, County Health Rankings data, and regional foodbank websites.

Results: Rural counties had a higher ratio of potential clients per …

Triple Negative Breast Cancer In An Appalachian Region: Exponential Tumor Grade Increase With Age Of Diagnosis, Gina Sizemore, Toni Marie Rudisill

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Triple negative breast cancer is an aggressive breast cancer with decreased five-year survival, increased risk for recurrence, and higher risk for metastases. Unlike other breast cancers, it has no targeted treatment and has heterogeneous genetics which make classification and treatment difficult.

Purpose: The purpose of our research was to compare triple negative breast cancer to non-triple negative breast cancer to identify key epidemiologic factors that might lead to improved basic science directives for biomarkers, treatments, and classification.

Methods: The state cancer registry was used to provide the first West Virginia state-wide population evaluation of triple negative breast cancer.

Results: …

Addressing Diabetes Distress In Self-Management Programs: Results Of A Randomized Feasibility Study, Ranjita Misra, Samantha Shawley-Brzoska, Raihan Khan, Brenna O. Kirk, Sijin Wen, Usha Sambamoorthi

Journal of Appalachian Health

Background: West Virginia ranks 1st nationally in the prevalence of hypertension (HTN; 43.8%) and diabetes (16.2%). Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are distressed over physical and psychological burden of disease self-management.

Methods: This study investigated the effectiveness of an intervention to reduce diabetes distress and outcomes [glycemic control, blood pressure (BP)] among T2DM adults with comorbid HTN. Participants were randomized to a 12-week diabetes and hypertension self-management program versus a 3-month wait-listed control group. Trained health coaches and experts implemented the lifestyle program in a faith-based setting using an adapted evidence-based curriculum. Twenty adults with T2DM and HTN …

Establishing Peer Recovery Support Services To Address The Central Appalachian Opioid Epidemic: The West Virginia Peers Enhancing Education, Recovery, And Survival (Wv Peers) Pilot Program, Stephen M. Davis, Amanda Stover, Herb Linn, Jon Dower, Dan Mccawley, Erin Winstanley, Judith Feinberg

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Central Appalachia has been disproportionately affected by the opioid epidemic and overdose fatalities. We developed West Virginia Peers Enhancing Education, Recovery, and Survival (WV PEERS), a program based on peer recovery support, to engage individuals using opioids and link them with a range of services.

Methods: Community partners providing services to individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) were identified and collaborations were formalized using a standardized memorandum of understanding. The program was structured to offer ongoing peer recovery support specialist (PRSS) services, not just a one-time referral. A website and cards describing the WV PEERS program were developed and …

Notes From The Editorial Office (Volume 36, Issue 1), John J. Green

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

We are excited to share this collection of articles in Volume 36, issue 1 of the Journal of Rural Social Sciences (JRSS).

Different Hollers, Different Outcomes: Differences In Health Outcomes Among Appalachian And Non-Appalachian Counties In Kentucky, Allexys Krasnopolsky, James N. Maples

Kentucky Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

This study examines difference in health outcomes, health insurance, and doctor access between Kentucky’s Appalachian and non-Appalachian counties. Using 2018 data curated by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this study analyzes differences in means in overall health outcomes, health insurance, and the number of primary care physicians at the county level for Appalachian and non-Appalachian counties in Kentucky .This study finds that persons living in Appalachian Kentucky counties have statistically-different and worse overall health outcomes, health insurance access, and physician access compared to those living in non-Appalachian Kentucky counties.

The Logic Of The Land: The Agrarian Roots Of Uneven Development In Brazil, Chris Carlson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation seeks to explain the highly uneven pattern of economic development in Brazil during the 20^th century. Stark development differences between the northern and southern regions of the country have long been a problem of concern to scholars and policymakers and have generated a number of studies over the years. However, none of these have gotten to the root of the problem, and state policy has never adequately addressed the regional disparities. This study puts forth a new theory of uneven development based on the different ways that agricultural production has come to be organized in different parts …

Religious Mega-Events And Their Assemblages In Devotional Pilgrimages: The Case Of Círio De Nazaré In Belém, Pará State, Brazil, José Rogério Lopes, André Luiz Da Silva

Journal of Global Catholicism

The article presents a typological categorization of contemporary mega-events and their characteristics, in order to interpret the assemblages mobilized by sectors of the Catholic Church in traditional devotional pilgrimages in the northern region of Brazil. It uses ethnographic accounts of the Círio de Nazaré feast, in Belém, Pará state, Brazil, considered the largest Catholic procession in the West, in order to analyze how the promotion of this event is organized through institutional and market logics that overlap with the religious phenomenon, evincing a contemporary trend. These assemblages open a field of possibilities for institutional religious reproduction and generate concentric flows …

Young Brazilian Catholics Reaffiliating: A Case Study In The City Of Campos, Rj, Brazil, Cecilia L. Mariz, Wânia Amélia Belchior Mesquita, Michelle Piraciaba Araújo

Journal of Global Catholicism

Through a case study in Campos, a northern city of Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, this article analyzes reports from young people who state that they have undergone a process of revival or reactivation of their Catholic faith. They all declared to have participated in the “St Andrew’s School of Evangelization.” They also mentioned having experienced an "encounter with God." Their narratives were similar to conversion accounts reported by practitioners of other religious traditions. The interviewees describe faith as a personal choice, and emphasize the need for religious study and the value of religious knowledge. To what extent these values …

Contemporary Brazilian Catholicism And Healing Practices: Notes On Environmentalism And Medicalization, Juliano F. Almeida

Journal of Global Catholicism

Anthropological studies on Brazilian Catholicism traditionally focused on popular variants of this religious practice and their relationship with the official Catholicism. Encouraged by recent anthropological perspectives, which highlight the relevance of devoting researches not only on the margins, but also on the center of social practices, this paper analyzes contemporary practices of Brazilian Catholic friars and priests on health promotion. The analysis of their publications (books that include practices and tips on health and that became best sellers etc.), as well as interviews, allows us to perceive a process of environmentalization on the contemporary Brazilian Catholicism. This process seems to …

Strong Church, Weak Catholicism: Transformations In Brazilian Catholicism, Carlos Alberto Steil, Rodrigo Toniol

Journal of Global Catholicism

In this paper we explore data on Catholicism from the 2010 census in Brazil, as well as other data from the Center for Religious Statistics and Social Investigation. Using these statistics, we question those arguments that explain the reduction in the number of Catholics in Brazilian society as a problem in the institution’s adaptation in response to the challenges of evangelization, or as a lack of ministerial vocations to meet the religious demands of the people. Pursuing an alternative argument, we consider the weakening of the relationship between the Catholic institution and traditional popular Catholicism to be a fundamental aspect …

Editor's Introduction, Marc Roscoe Loustau

Journal of Global Catholicism

No abstract provided.

Contextualizing Bipoc High School Students’ Racialized Experiences Under Trump, Christina Ung

Master's Theses

This thesis contextualizes public high school experiences of self-identified students of color during Trump’s presidency. The study features three recent high school graduates from the same campus, and their perspectives on a series of topics related to their racial identity. It was important that this research served as a space for marginalized voices to share their lived experiences, as they are frequently left out of American curriculum. More specifically in this case, the high school is located in a small, rural town where the population is majority white and politically conservative. Through the lens of critical race theory (CRT), data …

Research Trends In Amish Population Health, A Growing Literature About A Growing Rural Population, Cory Anderson, Lindsey Potts

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

The Amish are an endogamous rural population experiencing rapid growth; consequently, they have attracted the attention of population health researchers and service providers. With approximately one quarter of all Amish studies publications now devoted to population health (n=246), the time is ripe to review research trends. Using bibliometric measures, we map the genealogy, influence, and configuration of Amish health publications. Amish population health research has (1) a health culture-focused core with clusters representing social science and health practice, (2) peripheral clusters addressing health conditions–mental, physical, and injury/safety–and (3) several clusters straddling both. We identify fruitful interdisciplinary studies and recommend researchers …

Review Of: The Cancer Crisis In Appalachia: Kentucky Students Take Action, Stephenie Kennedy-Rea

Journal of Appalachian Health

The Journal of Appalachian Health is committed to reviewing published media that relates to contemporary concepts affecting the health of Appalachia. With cancer mortality rates higher in rural and Appalachian communities, a focus on how cancer impacts our families and communities is more important than ever. Dr. Stephenie Kennedy-Rea reviews the book The Cancer Crisis in Appalachia: Kentucky Students Take Action.

Effects Of Sleep Duration On Falls In A West Virginia Population-Based Study, Brfss, 2018, R. Constance Wiener, Christopher Waters

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: West Virginia is a state in which most counties are rural, as well as a state with multiple health disparities among its population. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of sleep duration and falls for non-institutionalized West Virginia adults, aged 40 years and above, using the National Sleep Foundation’s definition of “may be appropriate” and “not recommended” sleep durations for specific ages.

Methods: Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2018 data concerning West Virginia residents were extracted for sleep duration and number of falls within the previous year. Data were analyzed with Chi square and …

Diseases Of Despair: A Commentary, Andrew Howard

Journal of Appalachian Health

Across the nation, and within Appalachia, communities that struggle economically experience greater health challenges, with disparities observed across leading causes of death. Within our region, these disparities are particularly notable across diseases of despair.

The Value Of Education Between Two African American Male Populations In A Rural Southern Community, Quentin R. Tyler, Stacy K. Vincent, Tiffany C. Monroe

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

This study identified perceptions of education by low performing and college track African American males in a rural town in Southern Kentucky. Through the lens of Critical Race Theory and Symbolic Interactionism, the researchers explored how 16 young men value a secondary and postsecondary education. Selected by their administrator at two high schools, the males were identified as college track or low performing. The findings revealed that both groups identify racial relations as a barrier to educational achievement; however, college track males believed education would assist in overcoming racial divides. Additional findings highlight a difference in perception based upon the …

Brain Drain In Mississippi, Clifford Adam Conner

Honors Theses

Brain drain is the out-migration of educated individuals from an area. It is a problem with which Mississippi is overly familiar. This thesis uses data gathered from a survey of 965 respondents to identify who is leaving the state and for what reasons. The data gathered suggest confirmation that brain drain is an issue for the state, with roughly two-thirds of respondents having left the state or seriously considering doing so. The impetus for this varies with each individual, but respondents underscore economic and societal factors within Mississippi as pushing them away from the state. Quality of life factors are …

Strong Women Breaking Ground: Roles Of Women In Agriculture In Michigan, April L. Shirey

Masters Theses

Agriculture in Michigan is changing. While the number of farms and farmers continue to decrease, women are increasingly taking on the role of farmer instead of the “farmer’s wife”. The number of female producers increased from 8,275 to 26,059 where the number of producers in Michigan decreased from 56,014 to 47,641 from 2007 to 2017 (USDA, 2007, 2017). Women are becoming the face of farming in Michigan, yet little research examines the impacts of these shifts. In this research, I conduct semi-structured interviews with female farmers throughout lower Michigan beginning in the summer of 2020 to learn more about these …

Measuring Food Consumption Within A Foodrx Program, Katie Howell

Honors Theses

This pilot study set out to assess food consumption measures within the Charleston FoodRx program. Assessments made through this investigation aim to improve the Charleston program as well as provide suggestions for future programs. Charleston FoodRx provides enrolled households with fruits and vegetables in a supply intended to last for two weeks. These goals combine social and pharmaceutical science, by addressing barriers in food environment and insecurity, nutritional health, and preventative treatment. Though the idea behind FoodRx has existed prior to recent pilot programs, research behind FoodRx and its possible integration within the healthcare system lack published and replicable research …