Perspectives of Health Care Issues in Rural Kansas Communities: An Analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

Background. The purpose of this study was to develop a greater understanding of healthcare issues in rural Kansas communities. Methods. Ten focus groups were conducted with rural community leaders. Results. Community strengths included quality of life, community involvement, healthcare facilities, agency collaboration, and commitment to healthcare worker recruitment. Weaknesses were language barriers, aging population, healthcare workforce availability, physician and spouse recruitment, access to medical, dental and mental healthcare, poor oral hygiene, lack of transportation, and data collection issues. Community members identified several opportunities for rural Kansas, including the high quality of life, agency collaborations, public health education, and distance education. However, external threats affected communities, including economic decline, outmigration, poor farming industry, civic disinterest, growing rates of poverty, uninsured and vulnerable populations, high costs of health care, and funding shortfalls for school-based programs. Conclusion. Efforts should be directed towards healthcare professional recruitment, support for vulnerable populations, public health education programs, and inter-agency collaborations. KJM 2009; 2(3):62-70.