Exploring access to critical health services for older adults in rural America from 1990 to 2020

IF 2.7 3区医学 Q2 HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES

Journal of Rural Health Pub Date : 2025-02-28 DOI:10.1111/jrh.70004

Elizabeth A. Bambury BS, Alexis A. Merdjanoff PhD, Joshua T. Fergen PhD, J. Tom Mueller PhD

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Abstract

Purpose

Rural America has experienced a rapid loss of hospitals since the turn of the century, making access to high-quality health care the top rural health priority. Coinciding with this hospital decline is the growth of a rural population age 65 years or older. The health needs of older adults can require specialty care to support healthy aging. To date, minimal research has been conducted on trends in aging-related health care services in rural areas beyond hospital closures.

Methods

This study uses a 30-year lookback of data from the Area Health Resource Files to describe the trends in local access to hospitals and critical health services important for conditions experienced by older adults in rural America. Results are presented across measures of rurality and population age.

Findings

Local aging-related access to services such as chemotherapy, oncology, emergency department, geriatric, and home health agencies have been stagnant or declining over time in rural areas. Concerningly, the most remote communities with the highest percent of older adults have the lowest service access.

Conclusion

These findings shed light on the growing need for policies to support healthy aging among the increasingly older rural population.

Abstract Image

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探索1990年至2020年美国农村老年人获得关键卫生服务的途径

自世纪之交以来，美国农村地区的医院数量迅速减少，使获得高质量的医疗保健成为农村卫生的首要任务。与医院数量下降相一致的是65岁及以上农村人口的增长。老年人的健康需求可能需要特殊护理来支持健康老龄化。迄今为止，除了医院关闭之外，对农村地区与老龄化有关的保健服务趋势进行的研究很少。方法：本研究使用区域卫生资源文件30年的数据回顾来描述当地医院和关键卫生服务的发展趋势，这些服务对美国农村老年人的病情至关重要。结果呈现在农村和人口年龄的措施。结果发现，随着时间的推移，农村地区与老年相关的服务，如化疗、肿瘤、急诊科、老年科和家庭保健机构的可及性一直停滞不前或下降。令人担忧的是，老年人比例最高的最偏远社区的服务可及性最低。结论这些研究结果表明，越来越需要制定政策来支持日益老龄化的农村人口的健康老龄化。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Rural Health 医学-公共卫生、环境卫生与职业卫生

CiteScore

7.60

自引率

6.10%

发文量

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： The Journal of Rural Health, a quarterly journal published by the NRHA, offers a variety of original research relevant and important to rural health. Some examples include evaluations, case studies, and analyses related to health status and behavior, as well as to health work force, policy and access issues. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods studies are welcome. Highest priority is given to manuscripts that reflect scholarly quality, demonstrate methodological rigor, and emphasize practical implications. The journal also publishes articles with an international rural health perspective, commentaries, book reviews and letters.