Rural Populations

The Promising Practices

SAFELY OUT™

Citizen Voice
Sacramento, CA

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The Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP)

Fort Worth Office of Emergency Management
Fort Worth, TX

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Vulnerable Populations Action Team

Seattle King County Public Health
Seattle, WA

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Emergency, Community and Health Outreach (ECHO)

Association of Minnesota Counties
St. Paul, MN

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Kentucky Outreach and Information Network (KOIN)

Cabinet for Health and Family Services
Frankfort, KY

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New Mexico Tribal Outreach for Pandemic Planning

New Mexico Department of Health
Santa Fe, NM

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OK-WARN: A Remote Notification Program for the Hearing Impaired

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management
Oklahoma City, OK

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Overview

Although rural populations vary considerably based on the regions where they live, they share a number of individual- and community-level characteristics that make them particularly vulnerable in a public health emergency. On average rural populations are more likely to have:

  • Advanced age,
  • Lower income,
  • Greater rates of uninsurance, and
  • Less trust in governmental authorities.

Community factors contributing to vulnerability include:

  • Proximity to potential terrorist targets such as nuclear facilities, and chemical plants, coupled with low awareness of the dangers these facilities pose;
  • Geographic dispersion of the population creates challenges for an effective public health response (e.g., delivery of countermeasures, assistance with evacuation, and door-to-door delivery of information);
  • Geographic isolation poses difficulties in communication since coverage for Internet, television, and telephone service can be limited; and
  • Limited public health and medical infrastructure in rural areas constrains the ability of these systems to meet the increased demand for services in an emergency.

Strategies and Resources for Addressing the Public Health Emergency Needs of Rural Populations

Why is this group at greater risk? How can planners help this group? What resources are available to help?
Individual characteristics such as age, poverty, and uninsurance
  1. Identify and locate individuals with additional vulnerabilities (e.g. elderly, chronically ill, low-income, and limited English proficiency)
  2. Build relationships with community- and faith-based organizations to reach out to, learn about, and communicate with the special needs populations in a rural community

FWAF: Farmworker Association of Florida: Disaster Response and Relief
Skepticism of government
  1. Study how people in the community are likely to respond to potential public health orders or recommendations
  2. Take advantage of the independent nature of the rural population and promote individual preparedness

New Mexico Tribal Outreach for Pandemic Planning

RAND reference card for chemical, radiological, or biological terrorist attack
False sense of security
  1. Conduct hazard vulnerability and risk assessments on a regular basis and communicate about potential threats to the rural community
  2. Engage the community in preparedness planning activities, including exercises covering the most likely scenarios

The UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters Hazard Risk Assessment Tool
Geographic dispersion
  1. Promote and encourage individual preparedness in the community
  2. Develop community networks to assist in gathering and delivering information or services in an emergency

View PDFCalifornia Health Department Guidebook for Providing Care at Home During a Pandemic

Caring for the sick at home when it's the only option

Kentucky Outreach and Information Network (KOIN)
Communication challenges
  1. Conduct an assessment of communication needs and capabilities in your community
  2. Develop a local network to help ensure that everyone, particularly those people with special needs, are cared for in an emergency

Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) Network
Limited public health and medical infrastructure
  1. Develop and execute agreements with other health departments in the region to share resources in an emergency
  2. Train non-medical personnel and community volunteers to assist with a public health and medical response
  3. Develop policies and protocols for triaging people seeking care in an emergency

Partnering to Achieve Rural Emergency Preparedness: A Workbook for Healthcare Providers in Rural Communities

View PDFPublic Health Preparedness Training Guide for Non-Public Health Professionals

Promising Practices for Pandemic Influenza (Triage Strategies)

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Rural Populations