WHEN BULLDOGS HEAL MSU DELIVERS HEALTH CARE TO RURAL COMMUNITIES - PART 1 By Vanessa Beeson, Photos by Beth Wynn & Submitted
Rural America accounts for 97% of the U.S. land area but only 20% of the population. In Mississippi, however, that number jumps to more than half of the residents, making it the fourth most rural state in the country. While those wide-open spaces make for a bucolic setting, they make access to health care a challenge. While the risks of chronic disease and injury-related death are higher in rural communities, physicians are fewer. Youth suicide is twice as likely and mental health access is lacking. Compounding the issue, per capita income is less and fewer people have health insurance. MSU alumni, faculty, staff and students are committed to assisting rural Americans in overcoming these statistics in a quest for better health access and outcomes. Beginning with a look at alumni practicing rural medicine, this two-part series focuses on what MSU Bulldogs are doing to combat these issues and improve access to quality care in rural Mississippi and across the South. 22
WINT ER 2021
