Volume eight, Issue 1

Do you want to have your say about how climate change might affect your rural community? RRH is publishing a special climate change edition for the 2008 Oluympics in Bejing! If you would like to contribute to the special edition please read this editorial.

Rural and remote emergency services can become a symbol of hope for the community. Read how this occurred in a mine-infested region of rural Iraq.

As 2008 commences, one of the biggest concerns of Australia's medical educators is how on earth to provide high quality training for the 3000 first year students by 2010/2011! This article from James Cook University suggests an intersting solution that may apply in communties Australia-wide, assisting with that bulge in student numbers while also providing community and professional benefits.

Small rural towns are the setting for this intriguing study comparing how the roles of two professions -- pharmacy and social work -- are influenced by community need and professional ethics.

Adapting curricula to rural training is common, but it is possible to fail to prepare professionals for the unique aspects of life in rural locations. The developers of the Professionals in Rural Practice course share their unique blend of community action research and interprofessional training as they attempt to bring professionals even closer to a rural decision.

This article from rural Australia explores the men's self-reported health behaviours with their attitudes regarding body image and management of their own health. This type of context-specific population data are vital to develop and monitor health communication strategies targetting me.

The explosion of information about immunization (and sometimes mistakes) creates uncertainty. This is multiplied by alternative viewpoints and anecdotes spread across the web, where information is much more accessible than actual data and research. However often absent is the perspective of the patient (or, in this case, the parent of the patient). Our authors collaborate with rural nurses to explore this perspective.

Tobacco is a rural contribution to the world, but the health impacts of tobacco have not been considered for certain rural populations such as adolescents. This article reviews important steps to addiction, the prevalence of the tobacco problem, and the characteristics of those at risk. The article has great relevance for those who hope to improve health care in teens and adults in rural areas or beyond.

The field of social geography has the potential to increase our understanding of the causes and consequences of metal health and illness in rural settings. Researchers and practitioners will equally find this commentary thought-provoking.

If rural communities have not been exposed to the diversity of cultures typical of major cities, the resettlement of refugees can bring challenges to effective healthcare delivery. This article eloquently describes some of the complex cultural factors underpinning the belief systems of West Africans. As such it is a valuable resource for promoting the understanding of a patient who is also refugee.

Severe workforce shortages are customary in rural health. They are unavoidable, right? Wrong - according to this article from rural Australia which described a successful program which transformed a region from one shunned by psychiatrists to one which was highly attractive and that proved its ability to attract and retain these scarce specialists. There are no magic bullets or secret incantations; just commitment, perseverance, empathy, and a determination to create an excellent service through solid recruitment and retention strategies.

Despite the rhetoric of media and policy statements, addressing Indigenous health inequalities is not an impossible task. There are proven solutions. This letter from a former medical officer in an Aboriginal community suggest the principles that will underlie effective change.

Should health warnings for cigarettes be written in the local language?

How is technology affecting our traditional methods of academic debate? How is this relevant to rural academics?

This letter asks the question: "What is India doing to improve its neonatal mortality rate, especially in rural areas?"

Rural and Remote Health readers are invited to view this comment on the 2007 article "Developing the accredited postgraduate assessment program for Fellowship of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine". Further comments on this issue may be posted in the site's discussion area.

Rural and Remote Health readers are invited to view this reply to the comment on the 2007 article "Developing the accredited postgraduate assessment program for Fellowship of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine". Further comments on this issue may be posted in the site's discussion area.