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Article by Gabrihanna Jones
The majority of Americans utilize health care with or without insurance because, despite the cost, they know they will receive quick and adequate care. The same cannot be said for rural Americans. They face extenuating circumstances that make them unable to access parts of the healthcare system that are most needed. Among the many institutions, the rural healthcare system is quite inaccessible due to distance, limited providers, and financial barriers.
Healthcare facilities such as hospitals, doctors' offices, and urgent care centers are always busy, but in the city, there is usually one nearby. In rural communities, these facilities are far away, and there is a shortage of employees. In an anonymous personal account of an experience with rural healthcare, the author recalls an event where their brother was in an emergency situation. They said, “There isn't a doctor in our hometown, so I drove him to the closest hospital, about 30 minutes away.” Although they drove so far, when they arrived at the hospital, they were met with busy nurses and people who couldn't help them, even despite their situation being so dire. Once they were finally seen, it was too late, and the patient’s appendix had burst, leading to emergency surgery. This is a scary reality that many rural citizens have to live with due to their geographic position.
Rural communities regularly have fewer people than the average city or suburb, and as a result, there are fewer people in specific careers. According to the USDA ERS, there are “5.1 primary care physicians per 10,000 residents," a ratio that is dangerous for busy hospitals, as only 5.1 physicians must spread themselves thin to cover a large number of residents. For a glimpse into the emergency room, Munira Z. Gunja writes, “These disparities translate into significant health challenges. In the U.S., people living in rural communities have higher rates of chronic disease and suicide, worse maternal health, and limited access to care compared to adults in cities.” This shows that emergency rooms in rural areas are far different from those in other places. They have higher rates of admission, as the residents suffer illnesses more severely and at greater rates than others. The impact of a small number of providers is a great part of the inaccessibility of the rural healthcare system.
Poverty-stricken due to inequality, rural Americans are financially disadvantaged. With or without insurance, they have no other way of paying for the services they receive in doctors' offices. According to "Geographic Variation in Health Insurance Coverage: United States, 2022”, 19.4% of residents under age 65 are uninsured, which is far more than those in large city areas. They are more likely than city or suburban children and adults to be uninsured. Being uninsured makes it harder for people to have the confidence to utilize even one specific provider, let alone go to multiple providers. It is seen that 43% of rural residents are uninsured and reported not having a constant source of care. Additionally, “26.5% of uninsured rural residents delayed receiving healthcare in the past year due to cost” (Impact of the Affordable Care Act Coverage Expansion on Rural and Urban Populations, 2016). This shows that rural residents do not have the privilege of seeking help in their times of need due to the financial toll it takes on them.
In conclusion, the rural healthcare system is defined by its inaccessibility due to the distance, financial barriers, and limited providers that make it difficult for people to seek help. Furthermore, when rural residents do seek help, they often do not trust that the quality of care will be satisfactory. Along with healthcare, rural Americans face discrepancies in education, housing, and work. Programs that help alleviate these issues, such as debate programs, equip rural Americans with better skills and experiences for the future. All Americans deserve healthcare, but rural Americans deserve far better systems overall.
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