Six of Eula Hall’s 10 full siblings lived into adulthood. Her family was among the more fortunate. Growing up in rural Appalachian Kentucky, Eula has witnessed poverty; she lived it. She remembers regularly seeing children with staph infections that would peel their skin away. Her mother knew to use disinfectant, […]
Read MoreAuthor: Taylor Sisk
2019 County Health Rankings Cite Housing as a Foundation for a Healthier Future
Healthy living begins in the home. Secure, affordable housing is critical to living long and well. That’s according to the recently released 2019 annual County Health Rankings, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Ranking the health of nearly every county in the […]
Read MoreNew Report Outlines Sound Strategies for Healthier Communities in Appalachia
As state administrators throughout Appalachia grapple with mounting health care costs, a new resource is offering assistance to policymakers by taking lessons from success stories outside of the health sector. A healthy community is born of sound policies. That’s the premise of a just-released report from the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit […]
Read MoreWhen Hospitals Close in Appalachia, the Costs Are Far-reaching
At 7 a.m. on March 1, Cumberland River Hospital ceased providing care to the citizens of Clay County, Tennessee. As the county’s director of emergency services, Natalie Boone will shoulder the consequences. As a community member, she’ll grieve. “There are so many people in this county walking around today…because of […]
Read MoreWhy Fewer Appalachians Signed Up for Affordable Care Act Coverage in 2019
Fewer residents of Appalachia will have health insurance under the Affordable Care Act in 2019 than the year before. Enrollment numbers are down throughout the region, as they are nationwide, and some advocates say they aren’t surprised. In 11 of the 13 Appalachian states that enroll residents through the federal […]
Read MoreN.C. Attorney General Approves Sale of Rural Hospital System, But with Added Protections
Citizens were concerned. They voiced those concerns. And it appears their voices were heard. When it was announced in August that Nashville-based HCA Healthcare had reached a deal to purchase Mission Health, many residents of Western North Carolina – most particularly those in the region’s rural communities – had trepidations […]
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