Health Care in Rural America Rural populations have often been viewed as especially vulnerable with respect to access to health care. Rural populations have a less developed health care system. Residents of rural communities also report having a higher rate of chronic illness and disability. Rural communities face economic hardships, this makes it hard to access health care when it is needed. All this combined with the fact that rural communities face physical barriers such …showed first 75 words of 991 total…

…showed last 75 words of 991 total…an overall reduced access to health care for rural populations. Rural populations are viewed as especially vulnerable with respect to access to health care because of poorly developed and limited health care systems, high rates of chronic illness and disabilities, economic hardships, and physical barriers such as distance and availability of transportation. Efforts to enhance access to care must recognize that rural places face very different conditions that clearly affect their ability to use services.