Pennel Cara L, Carpender S K, Quiram Barbara J
Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, College Station, Texas 77843-1266, USA.
Rural Remote Health. 2008 Oct-Dec;8(4):1054. Epub 2008 Nov 18.
The lack of formal public health infrastructure and trained health professionals in rural areas has a deleterious impact on rural populations for various health issues. The purpose of this article is to: (1) suggest a strategy regularly used by the authors that encourages relationship building and serves as a catalyst for rural communities to work together to initiate and make changes based on the local assets and dynamics; (2) provide a descriptive overview of this strategy; and (3) provide an illustrative case, using the Rural Ready Communities project, in which this strategy has been used.
The Rural Health Roundtable strategy includes identifying relevant topics and stakeholders; using specific methods to ensure stakeholder attendance; creating an informal, social environment where participants feel comfortable sharing; utilizing targeted questions to engage participants and empower local ownership; and following up with the participants through communication and evaluation.
The Rural Health Roundtable strategy can result in short-term, intermediate and long-term outcomes using various evaluation tools and methods.
The Rural Health Roundtable strategy has demonstrated its value as an effective tool in working with rural communities. With fewer human and financial resources at their disposal, this strategy can aid rural communities in identifying and utilizing their unique strengths to overcome resource deficits when responding to public health emergencies and natural disasters. Initiated in 1999, the methodology has been refined and enhanced over the past 8 years to more effectively reach stakeholders, ensure attendance and participation, promote sharing and discussions, build stakeholder networks and encourage continued communication and collaboration. The Rural Health Roundtable strategy has significant potential for replication and application to all areas of rural public health.
农村地区缺乏正规的公共卫生基础设施以及训练有素的卫生专业人员，这对农村人口应对各种健康问题产生了有害影响。本文的目的是：（1）提出作者经常使用的一种策略，该策略鼓励建立关系，并促使农村社区共同努力，根据当地的资产和动态情况发起并做出改变；（2）对该策略进行描述性概述；（3）提供一个使用“农村就绪社区”项目的示例案例，说明该策略的应用情况。
农村卫生圆桌会议策略包括确定相关主题和利益相关者；使用特定方法确保利益相关者出席；营造一个让参与者感到舒适分享的非正式社交环境；利用有针对性的问题吸引参与者并赋予地方自主权；以及通过沟通和评估对参与者进行跟进。
使用各种评估工具和方法，农村卫生圆桌会议策略可产生短期、中期和长期成果。
农村卫生圆桌会议策略已证明其作为与农村社区合作的有效工具的价值。在人力和财力资源较少的情况下，该策略可帮助农村社区识别并利用其独特优势，在应对突发公共卫生事件和自然灾害时克服资源短缺问题。该方法始于1999年，在过去8年中不断完善和改进，以更有效地联系利益相关者，确保出席和参与，促进分享和讨论，建立利益相关者网络，并鼓励持续的沟通与合作。农村卫生圆桌会议策略具有在农村公共卫生的所有领域进行推广和应用的巨大潜力。
