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New report shows disparities between rural and urban healthcare in N.C.

A new study highlights healthcare disparities between the urban and rural areas of North Carolina.  

The North Carolina Rural Health Association released the 2022 Rural Snapshot, which assesses over 30 health indicators in mental health care, maternity services, and access to primary care. 

The findings reveal “significant challenges” for the state’s rural communities, many exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

For example, out of the state’s 100 counties, 30 have no active practicing psychologist, and a number of maternity units in rural areas have closed in the past decade. And in many of these communities, there is a higher rate of unhealthy behaviors, but less access to medical care and nutritious foods. 

Donald Hughes, a director at the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation based in Cary, says the report lays the groundwork for improvement in North Carolina.

“What we hope this will do is really to provide the data that will help our leaders across the state, whether they're elected officials, community-based organizations, folks in our general assembly, to really utilize this information to make sound decisions on behalf of our rural residents," says Hughes. 

A virtual event will be held Thursday, which is National Rural Health Day, to honor the state’s health professionals and volunteers. 

Neal Charnoff joined 88.5 WFDD as Morning Edition host in 2014. Raised in the Catskill region of upstate New York, he graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1983. Armed with a liberal arts degree, Neal was fully equipped to be a waiter. So he prolonged his arrested development bouncing around New York and L.A. until discovering that people enjoyed listening to his voice on the radio. After a few years doing overnight shifts at a local rock station, Neal spent most of his career at Vermont Public Radio. He began as host of a nightly jazz program, where he was proud to interview many of his idols, including Dave Brubeck and Sonny Rollins. Neal graduated to the news department, where he was the local host for NPR's All Things Considered for 14 years. In addition to news interviews and features, he originated and produced the Weekly Conversation On The Arts, as well as VPR Backstage, which profiled theater productions around the state. He contributed several stories to NPR, including coverage of a devastating ice storm. Neal now sees the value of that liberal arts degree, and approaches life with the knowledge that all subjects and all art forms are connected to each other. Neal and his wife Judy are enjoying exploring North Carolina and points south. They would both be happy to never experience a Vermont winter again.

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