Volume thirteen, Issue 1

Determinants of health among rural peoples is well known as an important factor but not always understood. The authors of this article have focused on a unique group - the Old Order Mennonites - to examine health status and health determinants. The process used to successfully conduct the study and the study results about physical health among this group forward the rural health research agenda.

Remote and resource poor settings face great challenges regarding the delivery of health care, especially care involving chronic diseases. The authors describe health kiosks as an intervention to gather epidemiologic data and to disseminate needed health information.

Can 'informal talk' act as a rural health promotion strategy for STI control? This 'eclectic approach to grounded theory' offers a novel approach to a perennial public health concern.

The heightened concern about obesity and diabetes among First Nation peoples has led to a number of reseach initiatives, research studies and policy plans. This article discusses an asset mapping project with one specific First Nation group of children that was designed to determine how community resources impacted the children's acitivity and eating options.

What is the contribution of genetics to rural and remote public health policy and practice? The results of this study from Dalmatia challenge the myth of 'one-size fits all', even in closely located rural populations.

Differentiating the impact of geography and access to health care and health outcomes is a limited but growing field. This article addresses these issues among young adult cancer survivors and in so doing heightens our understanding of the links between rurality and health.

A potentially difficult primary care transition in Nepal, from centralized to local management, showcases the value of inclusive capacity building - and careful planning.

How does a rural GP-implemented DOT program compare with conventional self-administration of TB treatment in terms of treatment adherence and control of transmission? This pilot study from southwest Greece may encourage others concerned with control of this notifiable disease in similar areas.

Can senior paramedics support emergency physicians in remote hospitals? This personal view from Israel suggests a novel solution to a global workforce problem.

In a global climate of reduced financial and staff resources for state-funded dental care, innovative solutions are required to ensure emergency care is accessed by those most in need. This study from Australia's smallest state reports the outcome of a dental triage system managed by non-clinical staff.

Does a decentralised training model have a positive influence on the retention of rural GPs? This study from rural NSW, Australia identified cultural and regulatory influences, and also the roles of choice and chance.

This project report presents a Greek experience of setting up sustainable community oriented medical education. Crucial to this successful program was careful planning to potentiate the voluntary efforts of self-selected, multi-professional teachers for a large group of students annually.

Risk, decision-making and pregnant rural women - what are the connections? This editorial is enlightening.

Why is there a decline in the number of Australian rural GPs who provide procedural services? These researchers examined the first five years after a GP's advanced rural skills training to see if early intervention can make a difference.

This research investigated how Australian health students' rural-placements can be enhanced in multidimensions using a multidisciplinary learning model.

These educators provided diabetes education to rural healthcare professionals in the Scottish Highlands: did participants prefer videoconferencing or face to face?

Australia's remote Northern Territory is an attractive placement environment for allied health students, nation-wide. However the same attributes that attract undergraduates, contribute to attrition of the NT allied health professional workforce. This comprehensive study analyses the NT AHP workforce according to the attitudes and vocational values of those who supervise students, and those who don't.

The name says it all: "How Far Is Too Far?". When rural and remote people must travel for care that may or may not help, how many will suffer travel consequences? The authors examine the travel consequences of false positive mammograms in Canada. When health interventions are marginal in benefit, travel for care may well be important.

This herculean survey of the climate change health and social sciences literature introduces 'concept mapping' as a method to support vulnerable rural communities' adaption to the health challenges of climate change.

What can be done to enhance functional outcomes in high-risk patients admitted to rural ICU? The authors of this small prospective study put the case for follow up.

Internet based learning modules can be an important source of support for physicians on the front lines. Pediatric care can be quite complex and specialized pediatric centers are rare. Urban and rural emergency physicians need sources of information. Do they access learning modules, each other, or other sources of support? Are there rural-urban differences in the sources of information?

Accurate health-service usage data is essential for equitable service provision, especially for underserved populations - but how accurate is official data? This study used a unique register kept by an Australia Indigenous Mental Health Worker to verify official health system identification of Indigenous status among patients, demonstrating the power of a specific style of record-keeping for a specific population.

With the closure of rural maternity units in Australia, accurate information about the onset of labour would delay the transfer of women out of their home communities. Is the fetal fibronectin (fFN) test the answer?

In common with many countries, rural Scotland's ageing population has a rising incidence of dementia. This project report describes the successful partnership of NHS Highland and a specialist university department to translate a dementia strategy into services for rural and remote elders in need in Scotland's islands, small towns, villages and isolated hamlets.

As governments and institutions make plans to improve internet access to health information, studies of various populations are needed. Studies of populations with a wide range of ages, incomes, and geographic distributions are ideal for comparison. Offices of Rural Health and other agencies and institutions can learn from a study of Veterans in the state of Alabama.

Deserts are commonly rural and remote and so are food deserts - geographic locations with limited grocery store access. Changing unhealthy food habits can help address high rates of cardiovascular disease. These researchers have partnered with communities and churches to see if the Mediterranean diet is a good intervention for Appalachia.

The unaddressed surgical disease burden of rural people in resource-low environments is starkly revealed by this report. The author participants in a Nigerian surgical outreach team demonstrate what can be achieved - both surgically and in building local capacity.

Can a short, rural practicum assist health science students adjust to the reality of working in a changing and challenging context? This South African study examines students' hopes and experiences, yielding thought-provoking information for all who strive to prepare students for rural practice.

When the experiences of rural family caregivers were compared with their urban counterparts, both similarities and differences were found.

This study from the island of Crete introduces a novel combination of spatial analysis and epidemiological research to map the incidence of glaucoma, cataracts, and refractive errors with rural service-need identification and public health planning in mind.