Rural residence is not a risk factor for frequent mental distress: a behavioral risk factor surveillance survey.

James E Rohrer,Tyrone F Borders,Jimmy Blanton

doi:10.1186/1471-2458-5-46

Abstract

BackgroundResidents of rural areas may be at increased risk of mental health problems. If so, public health programs aimed at preventing poor mental health may have to be customized for delivery to rural areas. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between residing in a rural area and frequent mental distress, which is one indicator of poor mental health.MethodsThe Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey for the state of Texas was the source of information about obesity, demographic characteristics, and frequent mental distress (FMD). FMD was defined as poor self-rated mental health during at least half of the days in the last month. Adjusted odds for FMD were computed for rural and suburban respondents relative to urban respondents.ResultsFMD was found to be independently associated with lower education, being younger, being non-Hispanic, being unmarried, and being female. FMD also was associated with being obese or underweight and suburban residence (relative to metro-central city). FMD was not more common among rural respondents than in the metro-central city.ConclusionRural respondents were not at greater risk of frequent mental distress than urban respondents in this sample. Programs seeking to improve community mental health should target persons with less education and extremes in body weight, along with women and single persons, regardless of whether they live in rural or urban areas.

Highlights

Residents of rural areas may be at increased risk of mental health problems
Studies addressing rural residence as a risk factor for poor mental health are important to verify the existence of a disparity and to clarify its nature
The more conservative response rate favored by the Council of American Survey Research Organizations (CASRO), which adjusts for the estimated number of eligible respondents in the samplewho could not be contacted due to technical or other barriers, was 41%

Summary

Introduction

Residents of rural areas may be at increased risk of mental health problems. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between residing in a rural area and frequent mental distress, which is one indicator of poor mental health. The concern for health disparities extends to residents of rural areas, who are recognized to face distance barriers when seeking to access health services. Studies addressing rural residence as a risk factor for poor mental health are important to verify the existence of a disparity and to clarify its nature. Singh and Siahpush studied rural residence as a risk factor for suicide. They reported that suicide risk increases for males with increasing levels of rurality and that the ruralurban differentials are increasing over time. Rural suicide rates were higher for women but the rural-urban differential was found to be decreasing over time [1]

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