Department of Public Health and Management, University of Medicine, and Pharmacy Bucharest, 1-3 Leonte Anastasievici street, Bucharest, 050463, Romania.
Quality Management Department, Emergency University Hospital Elias, Bucharest, 011461, Romania.
BMC Health Serv Res. 2024 Nov 4;24(1):1341. doi: 10.1186/s12913-024-11861-9.
Worldwide, rural populations are recognized to be exposed to increased health challenges due to their living and working environment, socioeconomic status, and access to health services. According to the Romanian Country Health Profile 2023, approximately 46% of all deaths recorded in Romania in 2019 could be attributed to behavioral risk factors such as tobacco smoking, dietary risks, alcohol consumption and low physical activity. No data on rural versus urban areas are available to date, and research is needed to document health inequalities, identify barriers to health services, and explore solutions.
This study is an analysis of data collected during the Health Evaluation Survey carried out by the National Institute of Public Health in 2022 and aimed to reveal differences in health risk factors between rural and urban areas. The analysis was carried out under the methodological framework of the Health Evaluation Survey 2022, which is coordinated by the National Institute of Public Health.
Our study's objectively measured data revealed that the overall health profile of rural communities is characterized by lower education levels, lower incomes, and higher binge drinking rates than those of their urban counterparts. Additionally, rural inhabitants more often have high blood pressure, are more overweight and obese (per body mass index measurements) and have higher fasting plasma glucose. The health profile of the urban population revealed higher education levels and greater proportions of people with adequate monthly income, people with daily alcohol consumption, people who smoke, and people with hypercholesterolemia. Access to primary health care evaluated through proxy indicators was lower in rural areas but was relatively good overall.
Our analysis of the health profile of rural communities revealed a greater prevalence of obesity and overweight, especially among women, and an increased prevalence of heavy drinking among men. Access to primary health care evaluated through proxy indicators is lower in rural areas but is relatively good overall. Lower education levels and the possibility of lower health literacy underpin the need for targeted health education campaigns. Sustainable strategies for rural health need to be identified, especially in the field of health promotion and disease prevention programs.
This study is observational research involving human participants where no interventions were applied to the study population.
全世界都认识到，农村人口由于其生活和工作环境、社会经济地位以及获得卫生服务的机会，面临着更多的健康挑战。根据 2023 年罗马尼亚国家卫生概况，2019 年在罗马尼亚记录的所有死亡中，约有 46%可归因于行为风险因素，如吸烟、饮食风险、饮酒和低体力活动。目前尚无关于农村与城市地区的数据，需要开展研究以记录健康不平等现象，确定卫生服务障碍，并探讨解决办法。
本研究分析了 2022 年国家公共卫生研究所开展的健康评估调查所收集的数据，旨在揭示农村和城市地区之间健康风险因素的差异。该分析是在国家公共卫生研究所协调的 2022 年健康评估调查方法框架内进行的。
我们的研究客观测量数据显示，农村社区的整体健康状况特征是教育水平较低、收入较低、狂饮率较高，而城市社区则相反。此外，农村居民高血压、超重和肥胖（根据身体质量指数测量）的比例更高，空腹血糖水平更高。城市人口的健康状况显示出较高的教育水平和更高比例的人有足够的月收入、每天饮酒的人、吸烟的人以及高胆固醇血症患者。通过代理指标评估的农村地区初级卫生保健的可及性较低，但总体上相对较好。
我们对农村社区健康状况的分析表明，肥胖和超重的发病率较高，尤其是女性，男性狂饮的发病率也有所增加。通过代理指标评估的农村地区初级卫生保健的可及性较低，但总体上相对较好。较低的教育水平和较低的健康素养的可能性，为有针对性的健康教育运动奠定了基础。需要确定农村卫生的可持续战略，特别是在健康促进和疾病预防计划领域。
本研究是一项观察性研究，涉及人类参与者，对研究人群没有应用任何干预措施。
