GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) – The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recently released their rural health equity report.
The report’s primary focus is on health disparities between rural and urban areas. Arlen Zamula, Director of Office of Health Equity within CDPHE, said, “Rural health is so important to Colorado. About 14% of the population live in rural counties. And as the health department, it’s our responsibility to look at health for the whole state.”
Those in rural counties such as Montrose, Delta, Garfield, Rio Blanco, Moffat, and Montezuma Counties generally have less access to healthcare than those who live in urban areas such as Mesa County, Denver County, and Pueblo County. “What our health report is showing is that in terms of health data, our rural counties are actually faring worse in 15 different indicators compared to their urban counterparts, but rural resort communities are actually faring better in 13 of those indicators. And when I talk about indicators for health, what I’m talking about is premature mortality, chronic disease like heart disease and cancer, communicable diseases, injuries,” said Zamula.
The social determinants of health include access to quality education, economic stability, social and community context, neighborhood environment, and quality health care access. About 1 in 5 Coloradans that live in rural and rural resort communities are 65 years and older compared to 1 in 6 in urban areas. About 1/3 of Coloradans in rural and urban communities are people of color compared to 1/4 of Coloradans in rural resort communities.
Coloradans of color experience worse health outcomes compared to white residents. Native Americans also haven’t had great health outcomes. Immigration enforcement is also causing hesitation when seeking health care. “It’s not just that sense of safety, but it’s about how do we build a whole safety net around people who are the most vulnerable so that they can get the services they deserve. Everyone deserves to live a long, healthy, happy life in the places that they choose,” said Zamula.
The report shows that there is higher premature mortality rates for rural communities compared to urban and rural resort communities. It also recommends championing long-term, flexible, community led investments, design funding with local capacity in mind, and strengthening interagency collaboration. You can find the full report at Health equity reports | Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
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