Written by: Eliza Siegel
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When it comes to health, our genes mean a lot: They carry our families' history of diabetes or cancer, make us more susceptible to certain diseases, and impact our blood type. While genetics play a large part in health outcomes, they are only one piece of a complex puzzle. Based on recent examination, it's clear that what public health experts call the social determinants of health are just as, if not more, influential in determining health outcomes.
Social determinants of health include economic stability, access to and quality of health care and education, social and community context, and environmental and geographic factors.
Living in a rural area intersects with many of these social determinants. There is frequently less economic stability, communities are more spread out, and drives to school are longer. Obstacles to health care access are far more prevalent than in more populated areas. Longer wait times, provider shortages, and fewer resources devoted to health care are several barriers to accessing medical professionals in rural communities. What's more, fewer people in rural areas have health insurance than their urban and suburban counterparts.
Within rural areas, significant racial and ethnic disparities in health persist. Black and Indigenous Americans living in rural communities face much worse health outcomes than white rural residents due to inequities that impact wealth, access to education, and living and working conditions.
Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn.
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