Volume fourteen, Issue 3

Essential improvements in nutrition can be challenging for rural populations facing numerous health and nutrition challenges. The authors address important issue with regard to influencing healthy choices.

New information to inform prevention programs for the locally known but potentially life-threatening 'kissing bug' in rural Latin America.

In rural, rabies-prevalent areas, can prevention efforts be enhanced by location-specific data? - these Canadian researchers provide the evidence.

The clinical demands of rural nursing are universal. This Canadian study has implications for rural nurses in any region and at any stage of their career.

Do long-term bush nurses share common characteristics that can guide recruitment and retention of nurses in isolated communities? This qualitative research was conducted in Alaska.

Despite the Flying Doctor telecommunications tradition from a century ago, the use of technology for health has not fulfilled its current promise in remote Australia. This small study asks why.

Chronic pain appears on course to overwhelm primary care, mental health, and emergency care - especially in rural areas where factors may shape increased demand for services where resources are lacking. The authors review sociodemographic factors that impact healthcare utilization.

Which factors contribute most? This mixed method study from rural Bangladesh identified what encourages and what impedes good hygiene practices.

If difficult-to-reach, rural children suffer the burden of dental disease in Australia, does existing data reflect this?

Do the practice intentions of South Africa's soon to graduate 'clinical associates' (physician assistants) offer hope that they can make a difference to its rural workforce crisis?

In a multilingual, rural context, technology can support face-to-face visual acuity assessment.

Are there barriers or facilitators to re-engaging retired midwives in answer to a remote Australian workforce crisis?

What are the perceptions of body weight and eating-related weight control among First Nation youth? This community-based quantitative exploratory study offers insights and recommendations.

Predictors of this common antenatal complication were explored, with some surprises in the outcome.

Colorectal cancer can be identified and treated effectively at an early stage, but barriers to care may mean that patients present at an advanced stage.

Does a collaborative-educational approach to rural practice in South Africa enhance disciplinary expertise?

How to make this novel strategy for improving rural health sustainable: what the health workers think.

Changes to continuity for longitudinal curricula represent challenges for rural physicians, staff, and sites. What should developers anticipate and how can they convey the long term gains?

In a less than certain world, how do rural high school students from two European countries manage their concerns about the future and maintain psychological health?

Clinical practice demands greater cultural competency and health professional education needs to prepare clinicians, but studies that encompass the variety of rural cultures and locations are lacking. With this in mind, breastfeeding in Hispanic rural populations is a most worthy area of study.

Telehealth is often used to address health needs in rural and remote locations. This article expands our understanding of possible applications through a discussion of its use with rural Canadians with dementia.

In the context of an ageing workforce, this timely study defines crucial issues to keeping older health professionals in the rural workplace.

How do dementia patients in rural areas manage their health? This exploratory study discusses a sample of patients from the Rural and Remote Memory Clinic (Saskatchewan, Canada) and describes their eating and activity behaviors. There are numerous implications for caregivers and agencies in any rural area.

Can OSCE informed by specific best practice guidelines enhance RANs' ability to provide appropriate, individualised care in remote Australia?

In rural communities, near visual impairment can make fine occupational tasks and pass-times difficult, disappointing or downright impossible. This study from one community suggests the prevalence of this problem is very high in rural Africa, with a scarcity of the simplest solution to the problem, viz. corrective spectacles.

This landmark Irish study presents the case for location comparison in addiction service-user data to effectively manage youth substance misuse.

Screening mammograms are an important strategy in diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Screening can be challenging when there are barriers to overcome - barriers more common in rural health. Are time, distance, and weather conditions limiting breast cancer outcomes for rural women?

The increasing incidence of Alzheimer's disease represents a worldwide challenge for patients, caregivers, providers - and those who pay for health care. Rural and remote locations can magnify the issue, in this instance in rural Saskatchewan where there is a higher elderly population, and resources, providers, and payments can all be strained.

Are there variations for occupational and physical therapy based on living and working in a rural setting? This qualitative study examined hand injury among rural residents to determine how they manage to work and live in the rural setting.

Is there a flaw in Indonesia's planning efforts for HPAI?

Rural practice settings in the United States face a number of serious challenges with regard to recruitment and retention of clinician workforce. Telehealth solutions are finally in a position to have impact - but will this technology aid in the recruitment and retention of health professionals?

A gap in the literature? Does the interprofessional nature of rural practice offer opportunities from the evolving role of paramedics?

Maldistribution of dental practitioners to rural locations is a global concern. This review of the international literature identified both motivators for and disincentives to rural dental practice to assist with local and policy planning.

Self-identified 'GP surgeons' and these researchers attempt to define the role, the people and the training.

How to get started - and succeed: valuable advice for early career researchers.

Can public health initiatives reduce disparities between vulnerable and dominant US ethnic groups?

This study is a "wake-up call" to researchers to focus on a community health problem for the American Indians or Alaska Natives (AIAN) populations.

How to measure access disadvantage: does driving time give the whole picture in rural Japan?

Two decades since the introduction of quad bikes, they are the leading cause of death in Australian agriculture. This prompted the formulation of guidelines to keep farm people safe.

Living with HIV in PNG: what the corporate sector can offer a national epidemic response.

Converting crisis into opportunity: dreaming, planning and devising South Africa's first Clinical Associate graduates.

From Japan's only medical school to produce only rural doctors, a transferable approach to rural research and publication.

This landmark e-publication, launched at 2014 Rural WONCA in Gramado, is a gift to rural doctors and educators from the 'who's who' of rural medical education worldwide.