An understanding of rural communities is fundamental to effective community-based rehabilitation work with persons with disabilities. By removing barriers to community participation, persons with disabilities are enabled to satisfy their fundamental human needs. However, insufficient attention has been paid to the challenges that rural community disability workers (CDWs) face in trying to reali...

An analysis of 382 patients, aged 12 and over, admitted to the infectious disease ward of Amin Hospital in Isfahan over a 20 year period with clinically diagnosed tetanus is reported. The study comprised 297 patients, 77.7% from rural areas and 85(22.3%) from the city of Isfahan. The male- female ratio for both groups was approximately 2:1. Rural patients were younger and showed a lower cr...

INTRODUCTION Childhood obesity rates appear to be more pronounced among youth in rural areas of the USA. The availability of retail food outlets in rural communities that sell quality, affordable, nutritious foods may be an important factor for encouraging rural families to select a healthy diet and potentially reduce obesity rates. Researchers use the term 'food desert' to describe communities...

BACKGROUND This article derives lessons from international experience of innovative rural health placements for medical students. It provides pointers for strengthening South African undergraduate rural health programmes in support of the government's rural health, primary healthcare and National Health Insurance strategies. METHODS The article draws on a review of the literature on 39 traini...

INTRODUCTION Between 2000 and 2004, 17 small rural maternity care services in British Columbia (BC) closed or were placed under moratoria. This paper explores the experiences of care providers in 4 rural BC communities that have lost or are at risk of losing their local maternity services. METHODS We conducted qualitative, semistructured interviews and focus groups with 27 health care provide...

Religious communities are important sources of bridging and bonding social capital, which, in turn, have varying implications for perceptions of social cohesion in rural areas. In particular, as well as cultivating cohesiveness more broadly, the bridging social capital associated within mainline religious communities may represent an especially important source of support for the social integra...

When sexually assaulted in a rural community, victims often find that opportunities for medical, legal or emotional services are very limited, or even nonexistent. Their economic situation and geographic isolation may further limit their options. Strong community ties in rural areas mean that a victim is more likely to be acquainted with the perpetrator than in urban settings. Finally, rural cu...