Rural Development Perspectives, Vol. 14, No. 3

Douglas Bowers, editor

Rural Development Perspectives No. (14-3) October 1999

About this magazine

Nontechnical articles on the results of new rural research and what those results mean. Shows the practical application of research in rural banking, aging, housing, the nonmetro labor force, poverty, and the effect of farm policies on rural areas.

In this report ...

Articles are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.

Editor's Notebook and Contents, 18 kb

Feature Articles

• Strategic Planning for Telecommunications in Rural Communities--The high-speed, broadband infrastructure needed to take advantage of telecommunications opportunities is not available in many rural communities. To overcome this problem, some local leaders are using a planning process that helps identify which strategies are most likely to meet top-priority goals and attract new telecommunications investments. The most effective strategic planning processes involve broad-based input from businesses, public agencies, and households. For more information, contact: Kathleen McMahon, kmcmahon@initco.net.

• Innovations in the Delivery of Health Care Services to Rural Communities: Telemedicine and Limited-Service Hospitals--Over the last decade, changes in health care policy, demographics, and technology have presented new opportunities for delivering medical care in rural areas. Telemedicine and limited-service hospitals are two innovations currently used to strengthen the likelihood of continued health care in rural communities. Montana is one of the few States where both these options have been implemented, providing a unique environment for observing the effects of each on rural health care systems, communities, and individuals. For more information, contact: Susan M. Capalbo, uaesc@gemini.oscs.montana.edu.

• Telecommunications Access for Rural Americans With Disabilities--People with disabilities may be inadvertently excluded from rural community life unless telecommunications access--economic, social, and physical--is addressed and ensured locally. New telecommunications policies are committed to the inclusion of people with disabilities. However, policy alone cannot ensure equitable access. Grassroots understanding is needed to define access in telecommunications and to determine how access can inform development activities. For more information, contact: Alexandra Enders, enders@selway.umt.edu.

• Growth of the Oldest Old Population and Future Implications for Rural Areas--The older population has been growing and aging rapidly, with the fastest growing segment being the oldest old--those 85 and older. This segment of the older population increased 37 percent between 1980 and 1990. The oldest old are more likely to be women, to be in poor health, to live alone, and to be poor. This article examines recent changes in the oldest old population by residence and considers implications for the future. For more information, contact: Carolyn C. Rogers, crogers@ers.usda.gov.

• Are Workers in the Rural South Ready for the Future?--Widespread prosperity in the South has not benefited everyone. Some Southerners continue to live in poverty, lack adequate education and training, and experience racial inequality. Consequently, those Southerners fare poorly in the current labor market and are positioned poorly for future labor markets. Many live in the region’s rural areas. Indeed, one could make the case that there are two Souths--one prospering and ready for the future, another lagging and vulnerable. For more information, contact: Thomas D. Rowley, t-mrowley@juno.com.

• Rural Issues in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland Common to United States--Despite differences in history and geography, the United States and the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland share similarities in regard to rural development issues. These similarities include restructuring in the agricultural sector, rural outmigration, the need to develop alternative employment opportunities in rural areas, the need for coordination of effort by various agencies involved in rural development, and issues of funding and institutional organization. For more information, contact: Karen Hamrick, khamrick@ers.usda.gov.

Errata

Entire report

Past Issues

Updated date: October 1999