Survey of health needs and concerns of rural Pennsylvanians

Introduction: This survey was undertaken to determine the most important health and safety needs of farmers and rural citizens of Pennsylvania. Methods: In June of 2004, a one-page questionnaire was distributed by mail to 32,700 members of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau as an attachment to their monthly newsletter. Results: The lack of affordable health care insurance was overwhelmingly cited as the most important unmet health care need (73%). No other issue was chosen by more than 10 percent of respondents. This lack of affordable health insurance was also cited as the most important health or safety problem to be addressed in the respondent's communities (71%). When asked the most important health or safety problem affecting them as individuals or their community, the respondents chose "no major problem or need" as the most frequent response (46%). The issue of affordable health insurance was not an option for this question. The predominant concern regarding the lack of affordable health insurance was consistent across all regions of the Commonwealth and for farmers as well as residents of all community sizes sampled. Discussion: This study would indicate that the lack of affordable health insurance is the preeminent health and safety issue for many Pennsylvania farmers and rural citizens.