Running Head: PROMOTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN RURAL ALABAMA

Students name

Name of the university

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Promoting Physical Activity in Rural Alabama

Communities in rural Alabama have limited access to health services due to a few

hospital facilities and a shortage of healthcare professionals. According to the Center for

Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), cancer, heart diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, and

stroke are the leading cause of death in Alabama. Additionally, cervical cancer kills at least 100

women in Alabama every year which is higher than any other state (Abdalla, 2016). Racial

disparities are noted in the mortality rates and the prevalence is twice higher in black women

compared to the whites. Among the social determinants of health, rural populations are

disadvantaged compared to urban populations. Study shows that health inequities between rural

and urban areas in the US have been widening in the last decade. Evidently, most of the health

issues affecting the rural communities in Alabama can be directly linked to unhealthy lifestyles.

The health crises facing rural communities in Alabama not only impact the residents but

also the situation hinders workforce growth and reduces the ability to attract new jobs and

businesses. When developing strategies to solve health issues, it’s imperative to understand that

solutions that work to urban problems may not work on similar problems in rural areas. Culture

and history are rural community assets that have a significant impact on health outcomes

(Calciolari, Ferrari, Ortiz, & Meneguzzo, 2015). However, Martin, 2017, argues that subject

norms created by social and environmental factors may hinder effective implementation of

health-promoting initiatives. Health promotion techniques that modify behaviors, attitudes, and

beliefs into positive norms are necessary for successful behavior change. Models such as “The

planned behavior theory” which have been used successfully in health promotion initiatives on

diabetes in rural Virginia should be adopted

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Professional help from institutions of higher learning such as universities is needed to

assist struggling hospitals with expertise for developing sustainable healthcare models. The

public health department should also direct clinician placement through the National Health

Service Corps to areas experiencing shortage of medical professionals. Additionally, resources

available both locally and at the national level should be used to combat the issues facing the

rural communities in Alabama. For example, mobile clinics can be used to provide primary care,

including cancer screening to women in rural communities. Community health workers can also

create a common voice of action to engage community members in advocacy for better health.

The Alabama Department of Public Health should bring together hospitals, clinics,

government agencies, nurses, physicians public health officials to form a coalition that can seek

more funding from local and national sponsors. According to John, the chancellor of the

University of Alabama, the institution is taking an active lead in identifying ways to expand

access to medical care, particularly in rural areas.

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References

Abdalla, E. M. (2016). Abstract 1778: A comparison study of the disparities of cervical cancer

excess mortality between Black and Caucasian women in Alabama and the

US. Epidemiology. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.am2016-1778

Calciolari, S., Ferrari, D., Ortiz, L. G., & Meneguzzo, M. (2015). Organizing healthcare in

remote rural areas: Comparing experiences of service delivery re-design. International

Journal of Healthcare Management, 9(3), 190-200.

doi:10.1080/20479700.2015.1101939

Martin, J. J. (2017). Theory of Planned Behavior and Stages of Change Models. Oxford

Scholarship Online. doi:10.1093/oso/9780190638054.003.0035