May 8, 2014 - Compared to their urban counterparts, rural Veterans report lower quality of life, lower physical and mental health and more multiple co-occurring illnesses.The U.S. Census Bureau identifies rural more by what it is not rather than what it is. Urban areas have 50,000 or more people in them. Urban clusters have at least 2,500 but fewer than 50,000 people. Rural? That’s the rest of the country.
If you’re an average American, there’s about a 20 percent chance you live in a rural area. For Veterans, though, that number jumps to nearly 40 percent. That number can be misleading because rural Veterans, regardless of ethnicity, age or gender, are less likely than their urban counterparts to enroll in VA. They are also less likely to seek VA care for physical ailments and mental illnesses, to schedule regular wellness visits or to seek out VA benefits.
The reasons are as diverse as the Veterans Dr. Michelle Hilgeman sees every day as a clinical psychologist at the Tuscaloosa (Ala.) VA Medical Center. Over half the patients she cares for are rural, but she knows there are many in her area who are not showing up at her clinic or any other. read more>>>
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