Report 1:
Development of a Research Agenda
on the Issues of Access to Care and Reduction of Health Status
Disparities of Rural African Americans in South Carolina, January 10, 2001 :
(pdf) 243KB
The South Carolina State Office of Rural Health used population-based data sets
maintained by the South Carolina Office of Research and Statistics of the Budget and Control
Board to explore disparities in health and health care use between African-American and white
rural residents. The information presented in this report begins the exploration of disparities in
health among rural African Americans and rural white residents. As an introductory, descriptive
study, it can only point to areas where discrepancies are present. Further research is needed
across multiple areas to provide reasons behind and remedies for these problems. Key findings
include: Mortality, Use of hospital and emergency department services, and Outpatient visits among Medicaid Recipients.
Report
2: Minorities in Rural
America, June 19, 2002 : (pdf) 0.5MB
The South Carolina Rural Health Research Center addresses the issue
of Hypertension , Diabetes , cholesterol , weight , and weight
control behaviors among non metro minority adults. This report uses
data from the 1998 NHIS to examine the prevalence of the selected
problems.
The highest rates of reported hypertension were found among
rural African Americans, one third of whom (34%) reported having
high blood pressure.
Across
non-metro residents, about seven percent of African Americans
and seven percent of “other” race adults reported that they
had diabetes.
Report
4:
Access to Care Among Rural Minorities :Working Age Adults. January
2003 : (pdf) 275KB
The South Carolina Rural Health Research Center studies the
access to health care among working age adults of rural minorities. Data from the 1997 – 1998 National Health Interview
Survey were used to examine health insurance coverage and recent
physician visits among rural working age adults (persons aged 18 –
64). Low income and low levels
in the non-metro areas translated into jobs that did not offer
health insurance.Non-metro minorities were particularly
disadvantaged, with rates of uninsurance ranging from 47% among the
Hispanic population to 30% among non-metro African Americans.
Report
5:
Access to Care among Rural Minorities:
Older Adults, Feb. 15, 2003 : (pdf) 1.2(MB)
• Development of a Research Agenda on the Issues of Access to Care and Reduction of Health Status Disparities of Rural African Americans in South Carolina
• A greater proportion of non-metro than metropolitan elders report limitations in their ability to carry out activities of daily living (44% versus 37%).
• Government programs (Medicare and Medicaid) are the principal source of insurance for non-metro minority elders.
Report
6:
Access to Care Among Rural Minorities:
Children, Feb. 15, 2003 : (pdf) 465KB
The Report shows the most common factors that pose a health related
risk factor among non metro minority adults. The report lists these
as the primary cause:
For all groups except
African Americans, non-metro rates of current smoking exceed
urban rates.Educational
interventions may be failing to reach non-metro populations,
particularly Hispanics and adult “others,” principally
American Indian
.
Smokeless tobacco use
is a rural behavior, most common among adult “others,”
particularly American Indians.Educational campaigns need to target rural audiences.
Seat belt use is
consistently lower among non-metro populations, and non-metro
residents of “other” races in particular.Interventions are needed to increase seat belt use in
rural areas.
Non-metro white and
African American adults reported higher rates of lifetime and
current abstention than their urban peers and had the lowest
rates of potentially abusive drinking.Reported heavy drinking was highest among non-metro
Hispanics, followed by adult “others.”Education, screening and intervention efforts among
Hispanics and adult “others” need to be improved.
Report
8: Violence and Rural Teens: Teen Violence, Drug
Use, and School-Based Prevention Services in Rural America. March 2005 :
(pdf) 239KB
This study had three main purposes: (1) to explore the
prevalence of violence-related exposures and drug use among rural
teens, (2) to investigate the effects of race and gender on the
risk of exposure to violence and drug use, and (3) to compare the
policies and mental health care services of rural and urban
schools.
This study found no evidence to support the common assumption
that rural youth are protected from exposure to violence. Rural
teens are equally or more likely than suburban and urban teens to
be exposed to violent activities, including weapons carrying,
fighting, fear of violence, and suicide behaviors.
Rural teens are at significantly greater risk of using
cigarettes, chewing tobacco, crack/cocaine, and steroids than both
suburban and urban teens. Of important note is the high prevalence
of “crystal-meth” use among rural teens.
Reports 
