Satisfaction with Health Care and Community Esteem Among Rural Women

Abstract

The present study examines the ways in which satisfaction with health care may be associated with the lives of rural women. One hundred thirty one rural women between the ages of 45 and 70 years completed measures of community esteem, life satisfaction, satisfaction with health care, health status, and mood. The results showed that rural women's satisfaction with their health care was associated with the extent to which they hold their community in esteem and their degree of life satisfaction. Moreover, women who had poor health were less satisfied with the available health care than were healthier women. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for the well-being of rural communities in general. ) have highlighted the significance of community building for a fully functioning society. In doing so, they argue that communities have the potential to solve many social ills. A connected community provides the foundation for the prevention of violent crime, juvenile delinquency, child maltreatment, unemployment, dilapidation of place and property, as well as for the promotion of civility, safety, cooperation, interaction and mutual problem solving, and restoration.

An Assessment of Life Satisfaction among Women

“…Spirituality contributed to the life satisfaction of African-American women at midlife regardless of age, income, or education. Bettencourt and Molix (2003) conducted a study to examine the ways in which satisfaction with health care may be associated with the lives of rural women. One hundred thirty one rural women between the ages of 45 and 70 years completed measures of community esteem, life satisfaction, satisfaction with health care, health status, and mood.…”

Satisfaction of basic psychological needs as a mediator of the relationship between community esteem and wellbeing

“…Scholars from a variety of disciplines have noted that being a member of a well-functioning community can contribute to citizens' overall wellness. Studies have confirmed that possessing a strong sense of community or a high level of identification with or esteem for one's community is associated with a variety of positive outcomes, including civic participation/engagement (Chavis & Wandersman, 1990) and psychological functioning (e.g., Bettencourt & Molix, 2003;Davidson & Cotter, 1991;Prezza, Amici, Roberti, & Tedeschi, 2001;Prezza & Costantini, 1998). Despite these accumulating findings, much less research has examined mechanisms that may underlie the relationship between community esteem and psychological wellbeing.…”

Social Workers’ Suggestions for Effective Rural Practice

“…Finally, knowledge about social work practice and research in rural areas may be drawn from the literature of other professions. Sociologists, psychologists, and educators studied rural poverty (Brown & Lichter, 2004;Snyder & McLaughlin, 2004), traditional and nontraditional gender roles (Bettencourt & Molix, 2003;Little & Jones, 2000), and the "changing rural scene" associated with forces such as globalization (Schroth, Pankake, Fullwood, & Gates, 2001, p. 10). Health planners, nurses, and physicians offered practice suggestions to improve the accessibility and quality of rural health care, such as increasing transportation (National Rural Health Association, n.d.), social support (Letvak, 2002), informal resources (McCabe & Macnee, 2002), and resource linkages (Yuen, Gerdes, & Gonzales, 1996).…”