Rural Health

Rurality is a powerful determinant of women’s and men’s health. Rural people’s poorer health status is a result of significant inequities in health-determining conditions, compared to their urban counterparts. Some of the contextual factors unique to rural settings have been identified as exacerbating or mitigating health outcomes of rural residents.

Saskatchewan is one of the most rural provinces in Canada, with at least 36% of its population is living in rural areas. These areas have been hard hit by factors such as the following:

•  economic restructuring in agriculture and forestry,
• the loss of young people,
• deteriorating infrastructure, and
• the restructuring of the provision of services in health and education.

Economic crises have increased the impact of poverty in rural regions, necessitating a better understanding of the inter-relationships between rural poverty and the health of rural women and men.

Economic and social changes have led to changing roles and relationships for both women and men in rural communities, some of which challenge traditional rural cultures. In addition, studies of healthy lifestyles and risk behaviours that focus on rural youth are rare, and most studies of youth risk behaviours in Canada make no distinction between rural and urban youth.

The Goal?

Rural health research projects conducted by SPHERU will provide a better understanding of the impact of economic and cultural determinants on the health of rural women, men and youth.