Every third Thursday of November, National Rural Health Day (NRHD) is celebrated by state health directors, local health leaders and advocacy groups as a time to recognize that “. . . small towns, farming communities and frontier areas are places where neighbors know each other, listen to each other, respect each other, and work together to benefit the greater good” (https://www.powerofrural.org/). Another statement explains that National Rural Health Day honors the “selfless, community-minded spirit that prevails in rural America.”
These words conjure up memories of my childhood visits to a cousin’s dairy farm south of Salina for home-cooked dinners each Thanksgiving. They also remind me of being on my uncle’s Iowa farm where, following a Veteran’s Day cookout, I joined family members on a walk around the property and talked about the price of feed for his hogs. I now wonder how those places continue to contribute to the people who now rely on them for income, safety, identity, and connection to rural communities. I wonder how places like these and others contribute to health and well-being of people who choose to live in rural places.
Health Means…placemaking.
A number of reputable reports reveal that persons living in rural areas generally have poorer health than do people living in urban places. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that, of the nearly 15 percent of the U.S. population living in rural areas, there are clear differences in health between rural and urban residents. People living in rural places are more likely to die from heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke than those living in urban places. Unintentional injury deaths are approximately 50 percent higher in rural areas than in urban areas. The fact that residents in rural places tend to be older and sicker than their urban counterparts contributes to poorer health outcomes in rural locations (https://www.cdc.gov/ruralhealth/about.html). Inconsistent access to health care due to distance, lack of transportation, inadequate housing, limited employment opportunities, questionable health insurance coverage, stress associated with farming and ranching professions, and high rates of COVID-19 transmission have been shown to lead to poor health among people living in rural places. These social and economic determinants are not corrected with “one size fits all” solutions in places that are populated by conscientious and caring rural residents. What anchors people in these places that can test resilience generation after generation? Some of the explanation is the “place” itself and opportunities for intentional placemaking that is beneficial for all rural people.
Placemaking is typically associated with efforts to improve urban community’s walkability, safety and access to services. Urban planners spend much time and resources planning green-space, attractive venues and access points so that urban dwellers feel a sense of community and have places where they can reduce stress and improve personal health. However, placemaking benefits rural communities too. Supporters and funders of rural development understand the importance of place and its influence on the health and well-being of everyone. For example, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recognizes that health improvements are linked to placemaking in rural places. This spring, USDA made $3 million available through the Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge (RPIC) to foster placemaking initiatives in rural communities.
(Click on the image for more details.)
According to USDA, ”. . . placemaking is the process of creating quality places where people want to live, work, and play with the goal being to create greater social and cultural vitality in rural communities aimed at improving people’s social, physical, and economic well-being,” (www.rd.usda.gov/about-rd/initiatives/rural-placemaking-innovation-challenge). Communities could apply for funds to help create and sustain accessible and welcoming public spaces; broadband capability; transportation options; multiple housing options; preservation of historic structure; green space, recreation and respect for the arts, culture and all community cultures.
Contributor: Elaine Johannes
Passionate about placemaking? Let’s talk! Connect with Elaine in the comments or via email. A list of some of the best strategies is available at Project for Public Spaces (www.pps.org/article/grplacefeat).
