https://www.rrh.org.au Rural and Remote Health is an open-access international academic journal serving rural and remote communities and publishing articles by rural health practitioners, educators, researchers and policy makers. en-gb Fri, 06 Feb 26 16:59:30 +0000 Papir Journal Platform melissa.storey@rrh.org.au (Melissa Storey) webmaster@commonline.com.au (Webmaster) https://www.rrh.org.au/images/rrh_og_branding.jpg https://www.rrh.org.au https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/10324 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/10324 In this Letter to the Editor, the authors build on a Rural Practice Affinity (RPA) model that explicitly tests emergency medicine competency as a mediator between general self-efficacy and rural practice intentions. The authors propose complementary dimensions that should be considered when translating model findings into recruitment, training and retention strategies. Fri, 30 Jan 26 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/10079 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/10079 High maternal and neonatal mortality rates in South Asia have led to a recent shift towards training professional midwives. This Review article explores the available literature on the experiences of midwives in rural and remote areas of South Asia, highlighting the current strengths, challenges and gaps in midwifery practice. Fri, 30 Jan 26 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9761 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9761 Indonesia's National Health Insurance Program (NHI) was introduced with the primary objective of providing broader and more affordable access to healthcare services for all Indonesian citizens. Despite significant growth in membership, there are still significant disparities in NHI coverage across different regions and socioeconomic groups. This Original Research article reports on factors related to NHI membership to determine how to focus efforts to expand the number of NHI members in underprivileged areas in Indonesia. Thu, 29 Jan 26 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/10486 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/10486 Securing a sustainable future rural healthcare workforce depends on cultivating individuals and organizations with the right characteristics for delivering holistic medical care in rural settings. This Research Letter reports on what these desirable characteristics are according to healthcare professionals working in rural Japan. Tue, 20 Jan 26 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9946 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9946 Intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual violence (SV) are pervasive public health issues and people marginalized by gender, such as cisgender women, transgender, non-binary, and other gender-diverse individuals, in rural, remote, and Northern (RRN) areas are at a significantly higher risk of experiencing these types of violence than people in urban settings. Unique barriers to addressing IPV and SV in RRN areas include geographical isolation, a lack of services to support IPV and SV victim survivors, social stigma, and a lack of understanding surrounding the complexities of IPV and SV from rural service providers. This Scoping Review explores literature focusing on the lived experience of people experiencing these instances of violence in RRN populations. Tue, 20 Jan 26 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9904 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9904 Residents of riverine communities in rural Brazil face significant challenges in accessing oral health services, as evidenced by a high percentage of individuals who have never visited a dentist, or who only seek dental care at advanced stages of disease. To address this, fluvial primary healthcare units were set up to travel along the river, offering medical and dental care to the communities they visit. Although this model increased service utilization, health inequities persist. This Original Research study evaluates the effectiveness of participatory community interventions, in which health promotion strategies are conceived, planned, and executed by the residents themselves, on the oral health of a rural riverine population in Brazil. Tue, 20 Jan 26 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9867 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9867 Access to sexual and reproductive health care can be especially limited in rural areas owing to a lack of funding, limited specialists and also because sexual health is still stigmatised in many rural communities. Using vending machines to access sexually transmissible infection (STI) screening kits is one way to empower individuals to take control of their sexual health while providing an added level of convenience and privacy. This Original Research article reports on the results of the Victorian STI-X pilot, which sought to explore the feasibility and acceptability of vending machine technology in rural and regional areas of Victoria, Australia. Wed, 17 Dec 25 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/10213 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/10213 An indwelling urinary catheter forms part of the bundle of care in patients who are critically ill, especially patients who are being medically retrieved between different hospitals. Where urethral catheterisation is not possible, suprapubic catheterisation is required. Access to formal kits for this procedure may be limited in rural, remote and retrieval settings. This Clinical Case Report describes a useful alternative technique. Sat, 13 Dec 25 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/10100 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/10100 This Letter to the Editor reflects on lessons for the Philippines from Houghton et al's (2023) study of the barriers to healthcare access in rural and Indigenous communities in Guyana and Peru. The author calls for urgent action in the Philippines to achieve Universal Health Coverage. Thu, 11 Dec 25 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/10336 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/10336 Teletherapy is an effective form of mental health service delivery for many populations and can extend mental health services to rural and remote communities that otherwise have limited access to care. This Original Research article describes the need for contextual humility among health professionals in urban centers when providing teletherapy to patients in rural areas. Key themes are identified through analysis of critical event narratives provided by physicians providing teletherapy to rural Alaskan communities. Thu, 04 Dec 25 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9579 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9579 In Australia, farming has one of the highest mortality rates among all industries. The internet is a key resource for disseminating health and safety information to agricultural workers but, although numerous studies have assessed the quality of health information online, there is a notable lack of research on safety information. This Original Research study reports on the content, accountability and readability of websites focused on agricultural safety. Thu, 27 Nov 25 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9420 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9420 Effective management of type 2 diabetes requires proactive, integrated, continuous, patient-focused health care, but in low- and middle-income countries, the capacity of health services to manage chronic conditions can be limited. This is particularly the case in Amazonas, Brazil's largest state by area, where remote areas have limited healthcare access, a shortage of health services, and a shortage of medical professionals. Few studies in Brazil have examined the care provided by health institutions for chronic conditions from the service user's perspective. This Original Research study reports on associations between individual characteristics, including sociodemographic, clinical, behavioral, and functional performance variables, and the PACIC score (designed to measure the perceived level of chronic illness management) in the primary care setting in remote municipalities of the Brazilian Amazon. Thu, 20 Nov 25 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9868 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9868 As of 2024, approximately 62% of Sub-Saharan Africa's population resided in rural areas, with Tanzania reporting 65% rural residency. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tanzania's complete vaccination rate reached only 54% (for both one and two doses of vaccines combined), compared with the global average of 67%, as of December 2023. This disparity is particularly concerning given Tanzania's predominantly rural population and the continued emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases and pandemics. This Original Research article examined COVID-19 vaccination advocacy strategies in rural settings, specifically in Tanzania, that could be adapted to improve preparedness and response plans against future pandemics. Thu, 13 Nov 25 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9357 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9357 In Brazil, breast cancer is one of the most prevalent tumor types among women, and is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. In rural and remote areas, women can miss out on early detection, timely diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer owing to their distance from healthcare facilities and screening services, and limited availability of mammography services. Despite these well-documented challenges, a paucity of empirical evidence is available on the performance of breast cancer screening programs in remote regions of the Brazilian Amazon. This Original Research article reports on the implementation of a breast cancer screening program in remote regions of the state of Acre, Brazil. Mon, 10 Nov 25 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9767 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9767 Internationally, suicide rates tend to be higher in less populated, rural areas. Community-based suicide prevention interventions often include community education, gatekeeper training, establishing or increasing access to mental health and crisis services and encouraging community-building through action groups and peer support networks. Despite anecdotal increases in such initiatives in rural and regional Australia, formal evaluations remain limited. This Review maps the breadth of community-based suicide prevention initiatives, examines their impacts and outcomes in rural and remote Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, and identifies evidence-based practices, knowledge gaps and future research directions. Fri, 07 Nov 25 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9349 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9349 Papua represents one of the most disadvantaged provinces in Indonesia, with high maternal mortality, remote geography, limited health infrastructure, and entrenched cultural practices that hinder care-seeking. Previous studies on maternal mortality in Indonesia have mostly emphasized biomedical complications or relied on national-level averages, without accounting for sharp structural differences across regions. Few have applied a multilevel framework to capture both individual- and community-level determinants simultaneously. This Original Research study addresses that gap by analyzing maternal deaths in Papua using the 2020 Indonesia Population Census, paying particular attention to rural-urban residence and providing new evidence to inform equitable maternal health strategies in rural and remote settings. Tue, 04 Nov 25 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9975 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9975 Many rural populations have limited access to timely and appropriate emergency medical services (EMS), which can result in higher mortality rates compared with cities. To address this, the Korean Government has initiated extra measures in EMS-vulnerable areas. One recent measure is an information and communication technology-based emergency medical services (ICT-EMS) system specifically targeting North Chungcheong Province. Its key features include real-time transmission of patient information, triage based on severity, selection of appropriate hospitals, remote medical consultations, coordinated transportation, and the secure sharing of critical patient data. This Original Research study evaluates the effectiveness and practical implications of the North Chungcheong Province ICT-EMS system from the perspectives of hospital stakeholders. Thu, 30 Oct 25 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9781 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9781 Scotland continues to face doctor shortages, particularly in remote, rural and socioeconomically deprived areas. Conventional medical training has not resolved geographical or specialty imbalances. Increasing student numbers alone is insufficient; curricula must provide sustained rural and primary-care exposure to cultivate the skills, resilience and adaptability these settings demand. The Scottish Graduate-Entry Medicine (ScotGEM) program seeks to meet this need through a 4-year program that immerses graduates in community and rural practice. This Short Communication reports on ScotGEM graduates' self-reported preparedness for clinical practice. Mon, 27 Oct 25 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9532 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9532 Rural and remote health in Australia relies on a consistent health workforce to service the population, but attracting and maintaining health professionals to work in rural locations is a well-documented and ongoing issue. Although allied health professionals are an important part of the health workforce, previous studies have identified a perceived lower priority for research into the allied health workforce compared with the medical workforce. This Scoping Review identifies, describes and addresses workforce recruitment and retention issues and initiatives for allied health professionals in rural and remote Australia. Mon, 27 Oct 25 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/8701 https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/8701 Strengthening the primary healthcare system is particularly critical in low- and middle-income countries like Paraguay, where there are resource constraints and workforce shortages and healthcare infrastructure is limited. This Original Research study reports on the service readiness of public healthcare facilities in Paraguay using the World Health Organization's Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) tool and identifies areas for improvement. Sat, 25 Oct 25 00:00:00 +0000