Investing in health education to reduce rural health disparities

Abstract

The global rural population accounts for almost half of the total global population. Access to health care for these rural populations is reduced, leading to increased health disparities. Nurses play a critical role in reducing health disparities but with limited models to guide their practice. The Community Health Assessment Sustainable Education model is a practical teaching and learning solution, which has been developed to engage student nurse learners in a health promotion philosophy for rural areas. Nurse learners assess and gather data to progress community development and navigate the holistic landscape of health. In this chapter, we describe how this approach integrates the sociopolitical, cultural, sustainable, economic, and environmental aspects of rural communities’ health. Our focus is on preparing nurse learners to improve the health of rural populations globally and reduce health disparities. The CHASE model enables nurse learners to influence and change policy and legal responsibilities at local, national, and global levels, while community development aims to address nurses’ role in advocacy that requires them to act on behalf of communities from a social justice perspective as they prepare for registered nurse practice.