Department of Pediatrics, Children's Mercy Kansas City, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine (JL Bettenhausen, CM Winterer, and JD Colvin), Kansas City, Mo; University of Kansas School of Medicine (JL Bettenhausen, CM Winterer, and JD Colvin), Kansas City, Kans.
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Mercy Kansas City, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine (JL Bettenhausen, CM Winterer, and JD Colvin), Kansas City, Mo; University of Kansas School of Medicine (JL Bettenhausen, CM Winterer, and JD Colvin), Kansas City, Kans.
Acad Pediatr. 2021 Nov-Dec;21(8S):S126-S133. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.08.001.
Nearly 1 in 5 children in the United States live in rural areas. Rural children experience health and health care disparities compared to their urban peers and represent a unique and vulnerable pediatric patient population. Important disparities exist in all-cause mortality, suicide, firearm-related unintentional injury, and obesity. Rural children experience decreased availability and accessibility of primary care and specialty care (especially mental health care) due to a decreased number of health care providers as well as geographical and transportation-related barriers. Other geographic and socioeconomic determinants, especially concerning poverty and substandard housing conditions, are likely important contributors to the observed health disparities. Increased funding for research focused on rural populations is needed to provide innovative solutions for the unique health needs of rural children. Policy changes positioned to correct the trajectory of poor health among children should consider the needs of rural children as an under-researched and under-resourced vulnerable population.
美国近五分之一的儿童生活在农村地区。与城市同龄人相比，农村儿童在健康和医疗保健方面存在差距，他们是一个独特且脆弱的儿科患者群体。在全因死亡率、自杀、与枪支有关的意外伤害和肥胖方面存在着重要的差异。由于医疗服务提供者数量减少，以及地理和交通相关障碍，农村儿童获得初级保健和专科保健（尤其是心理健康保健）的机会和可及性降低。其他地理和社会经济决定因素，特别是贫困和住房条件差，可能是造成健康差距的重要因素。需要增加针对农村人口的研究资金，为农村儿童的独特健康需求提供创新解决方案。旨在纠正儿童健康状况不佳的政策变化，应考虑到农村儿童这一研究和资源不足的弱势群体的需求。
