Pleasant Events, Hopelessness, and Quality of Life in Rural Older Adults

Abstract

Targeting both hopelessness and engagement in pleasant events may be helpful in improving the quality of life of vulnerable, rural older adults.

Appalachian Women’s Use of Substance Abuse Treatment: Examining the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations

“…One vulnerable demographic group that has been affected at a greater proportion by the mentioned rural drug trends are women; more specifically, economically disadvantaged rural women (Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), 2016; Browne, 2016; Staton-Tindall et al, 2015a; Staton-Tindall et al, 2015b). Economic distress increases the likelihood that individuals from this Appalachian region will have low social capital, greater health disparities, and limited environmental resources (Marmot & Bell, 2009).…”

“…factors to have been found to increase the likelihood of accessing treatment (Gelberg et al, 2000; Oser et al, 2016; Rhoades, Winetrobe, & Rice, 2014; Varga & Surratt, 2014). Factors such as social support (Cucciare et al, 2016; Xu et al, 2016), regular sources of health care (Browne et al, 2016), and other barriers not otherwise specified (e.g., stigma of treatment, and access to health insurance) (Appalachian Regional Commission, 2016; Schoeneberger, Leukefeld, Hiller, & Godlaski, 2006). In addition, researchers have found that drug-using women with more positive attitudes regarding treatment services resulted in a greater likelihood of help-seeking behavior (Segal, Coolidge, Mincic, & O’Riley, 2005).…”

“…factors include public benefits, disability status, and the distance needed to travel to treatment, along with the availability of adequate transportation. For rural individuals, public benefits may be limited, and treatment centers are usually located far distances where public transportation is often scarce for most individuals (Browne et al, 2016; ARC, 2016). A regional factor that is relevant to Appalachian women that may facilitate their utilization of substance abuse treatment is court ordered treatment (ARC, 2016).…”

“…Women living in rural areas face unique challenges to attaining substance abuse treatment (Fortney et al, 2011; Staton-Tindall et al, 2007). For instance, rural areas have limited behavioral health services available (Gamm, Hutchinson, Dabney, & Dorsey, 2003); less resources to financially supplement treatment services (Staton-Tindall, Duvall, Leukefeld, & Oser, 2007); greater social stigma toward treatment (Browne et al, 2016); and are lacking adequate transportation to access treatment services (Beardsley et al, 2003).…”

Differentiate Patterns of Individually Perceived Quality of Life in Big Cities, Towns and Rural Areas

“…Considering the individual subjective side, the QoL is seen as a broad term encompassing the notions of a good life, a valued life, a satisfying life, and a happy life (Diener & Suh, 1997;Feneri et al, 2013;Henchoz et al, 2015;Scogin, Morthland, DiNapoli, LaRocca, & Chaplin, 2016). The concepts of a satisfying life and a happy life could be combined into the subjective well-being (McCrea et al, 2006) or individually perceived / experienced subjective QoL.…”