Health care and information preferences of rural, Southwest Virginia residents: A statewide comparison

Introduction

The provision of health information and care is enhanced immeasurably by understanding consumer preferences and behaviors. This paper describes the health information preferences of residents in rural, Southwest Virginia and highlights important differences between these residents, compared to the rest of the state, in specific characteristics and preferences impacting the delivery of health care and health education materials.

Method

Data from the Tailored Educational Approaches for Consumer Health (TEACH) project was analyzed to compare regions in the state of Virginia. A total of 1,212 people responded to a phone survey regarding personal and family health status, health care utilization, amount of health information sought and sources from which information was sought, as well as information sources considered trustworthy and reliable. Participants responded to demographic questions including age, gender, education, household income, employment, and health behavior questions, including exercise habits, food choices, and health care coverage.

Results

A total of 273 respondents identified themselves as residents of rural, Southwest Virginia. More females than males responded (62.5% and 37.5%, respectively). Respondents were most likely to be White (85%) and above the age of 55 (55.6%). Just over half of the Southwest residents report themselves in “good” health, with “low” (70.5%) health service utilization. However, 28.4% of Southwest residents sampled have a BMI categorizing them as obese. Rural, Southwest Virginians score significantly lower than the rest of the state on health and reading literacy, report a lower perception of their personal health status, are less likely to exercise moderately, and more likely to be obese. Rural, Southwest Virginians are less likely than the rest of the state to use or to trust information provided over the internet, and are less likely to rely on television, radio, or newspapers as a reliable source of healthcare information. However, they are more likely to report trusting their pastor as a reliable source for healthcare information, and report significantly greater likelihood of relying on their pastor for health information in the future.

Discussion

There are important differences between participants in rural, Southwest Virginia when compared to the rest of the state; particularly trust in the pastor as a reliable source of healthcare information and distrust in other media sources. We will discuss the identified needs of individuals in the rural south, including characteristics and healthcare information preferences. This information will inform the way we choose to deliver and disseminate healthcare information in rural populations.