Health in rural and Appalachian Ohio

Living in communities with access to opportunity and resources is a key contributor to Ohioans’ health, well-being and economic security. There are many positive aspects of living in rural areas of Ohio, but the more than 2.3 million Ohioans who live in rural counties face a number of challenges that contribute to poor health outcomes. Using county types developed for the Ohio Rural Health Improvement Plan, this data snapshot explores the drivers of health and health outcomes in rural Ohio. 

Resources

There are many effective strategies that state and local leaders can use to ensure that Ohioans living in rural areas have access to the resources and environments needed to promote health and well-being. The resources below outline many of those strategies.

• Ohio Rural Health Improvement Plan contains strategies to improve healthcare access in rural Ohio.
• County Health Rankings: What Works for Health provides comprehensive evidence-based strategies that can address health needs highlighted in this snapshot.
• The National Rural Health Association’s Rural Community Health Initiative promotes innovative, community-level programs in rural areas and provides grant-writing support and resources for community leaders to implement healthcare access strategies in their hometowns.

Facts and Figures

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