Exploring Connections Between Rural Healthcare and Rural Education
Abstract
This project investigates whether students believe coming from a rural area negatively impacted their long-term goals as future healthcare professionals. It also examines whether differences in educational opportunities contribute to workforce shortages, specifically in the healthcare sector, and limited access to healthcare in rural regions compared to urban areas. Rural communities are disproportionately affected by these healthcare disparities, including limited access to facilities, higher disease and mortality rates, and provider shortages. Determining the contributing factors to these disparities is essential in formulating and implementing strategies to address and combat these inequities. Students pursuing healthcare careers at ETSU were surveyed to assess their perspectives on rural and urban disparities in education and healthcare. Eligible participants included those in three programs: College of Nursing, Honors College, and Pre-Health Living and Learning Community. Participants were asked to provide social and educational demographic information, along with their opinions on several subjects. Participants ranked their high school education from 1-5, with 1 being “very poor” and 5 being the “best possible education.” Descriptive statistics were completed for all variables and presented using tables and graphs to illustrate key findings. Student perspectives on rural and urban disparities were presented through direct quotes. Findings from this study suggest that students perceive rural education as putting individuals at an academic disadvantage compared to those educated in urban settings, with 78% of respondents indicating that urban education is superior. Additionally, 85.4% of participants reported that they believe urban healthcare is of higher quality than its rural counterpart. This perception is largely attributed to lower wages offered in rural areas discouraging healthcare workers from pursuing a career in these areas and the limited resources in these regions. Future research should examine potential statistically significant relationships between survey responses and participants’ social or educational backgrounds to better understand the factors influencing their perceptions.
Start Time
15-4-2026 1:30 PM
End Time
15-4-2026 4:30 PM
Room Number
Culp Ballroom 316
Presentation Type
Poster
Student Type
Undergraduate Student
Faculty Mentor
Megan Quinn
Exploring Connections Between Rural Healthcare and Rural Education
Culp Ballroom 316
This project investigates whether students believe coming from a rural area negatively impacted their long-term goals as future healthcare professionals. It also examines whether differences in educational opportunities contribute to workforce shortages, specifically in the healthcare sector, and limited access to healthcare in rural regions compared to urban areas. Rural communities are disproportionately affected by these healthcare disparities, including limited access to facilities, higher disease and mortality rates, and provider shortages. Determining the contributing factors to these disparities is essential in formulating and implementing strategies to address and combat these inequities. Students pursuing healthcare careers at ETSU were surveyed to assess their perspectives on rural and urban disparities in education and healthcare. Eligible participants included those in three programs: College of Nursing, Honors College, and Pre-Health Living and Learning Community. Participants were asked to provide social and educational demographic information, along with their opinions on several subjects. Participants ranked their high school education from 1-5, with 1 being “very poor” and 5 being the “best possible education.” Descriptive statistics were completed for all variables and presented using tables and graphs to illustrate key findings. Student perspectives on rural and urban disparities were presented through direct quotes. Findings from this study suggest that students perceive rural education as putting individuals at an academic disadvantage compared to those educated in urban settings, with 78% of respondents indicating that urban education is superior. Additionally, 85.4% of participants reported that they believe urban healthcare is of higher quality than its rural counterpart. This perception is largely attributed to lower wages offered in rural areas discouraging healthcare workers from pursuing a career in these areas and the limited resources in these regions. Future research should examine potential statistically significant relationships between survey responses and participants’ social or educational backgrounds to better understand the factors influencing their perceptions.
