Although there have been major improvements in oral health, with remarkable advances in the prevention and management of oral diseases, globally, inequalities persist between urban and rural communities. These inequalities exist in the distribution of oral health services, accessibility, utilization, treatment outcomes, oral health knowledge and practices, health insurance coverage, oral health...

China abandoned its free universal health care system and privatized it since 1980s. The direct consequence was that many people lost their access to health care, especially those without employers, including farmers in rural China, which in turn significantly reduced their medical care utilization. A new wave of rural cooperative medical insurance was first promoted in selected areas in 2003 a...

Health care is one of the greatest concerns in India. While, those living in cities and big towns have access to high end health services, the millions of people living in rural India, particularly in the remote parts of the country face problems of inadequate facilities and poor access to healthcare. Many experts, including researchers, policy makers and practitioners identified that, there is...

Editorial Note: At its September, 2015 meeting in Mahnomen, Minnesota, the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services examined the changing nature of the health care system in the United States and how rural providers can be included in these changes (known as Delivery System Reform (DSR)) without undermining access to quality health services. During the meeting the Committe...

BACKGROUND The literature on interprofessional learning (IPL) has limited empirical evidence on the impact of simulated IPL sessions in promoting collaborative health care services in rural settings. This study aims to explore health care students' perception of the relevance of simulated IPL for rural health care services. METHODS Three focus group interviews were held with pre-registration ...

BACKGROUND The problem of accessibility and affordability of health care is reported to be a major social concern in modern China. It is pronounced in rural households which represent 60% of China's population. There are a few large scale studies which have been conducted into socioeconomic inequalities in health care utilisation for rural populations. Those studies that exist are mainly bivari...

DRAFT The mission of the RUPRI Center is to provide timely analysis to federal and state health policy makers, based on the best available research. The research of the RUPRI Center focuses on rural health care financing/system reform, rural systems building, and meeting the health care needs of special rural populations. Specific objectives include: conducting original research and independent...

In the United Kingdom (UK) there is currently an upsurge of interest in rural affairs. This brings the potential to address some of the gaps in rural health care research. The appropriate description and measurement of rural deprivation is one area consistently identified by UK rural practitioners and policymakers as urgently requiring evidence. Appropriate identification and measurement of dep...

PURPOSE Children's health is influenced by the context in which they live. We provide a descriptive essay on the status of children in rural America to highlight features of the rural environment that may affect health. DESCRIPTION We compiled information concerning components of the rural environment that may contribute to health outcomes. Areas addressed include the economic characteristics...

BACKGROUND People living in rural areas who have a diagnosis of cancer have poorer outcomes than people living in urban centers. The reasons for this are unclear. Little is known about the impact that living in a rural area has on the diagnosis and treatment decisions of these people and how these may in turn impact on care outcomes. OBJECTIVES This study explored the reasons why people livin...