Rural Practice Research Articles

Optimising staff utilisation in rural animal veterinary practice in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Utilisation of veterinary professional staff in rural animal veterinary practice has long been anecdotally reported as poor in Aotearoa / New Zealand. Evidence shows that skill utilisation is poor, and this is likely impacted by the low ratios of non-veterinarian staff to each veterinarian in rural animal veterinary practice. This participative action research utilised focus groups with a range of staff practising in rural animal veterinary practice in Aotearoa / New Zealand, who self-selected as having experience with excellent utilisation. Participants were asked to imagine what a future with excellent utilisation in rural animal veterinary practice in Aotearoa / New Zealand would look like. This research clarifies role definitions of a veterinarian, rural animal veterinary technician and rural animal healthcare assistant, and documents examples of task allocation in an interprofessional team. The participants identified that the outcomes of achieving appropriate utilisation are likely to be beneficial to individuals, the team, animals, clients, and the business profitability, however, a significant number of barriers were identified that may prevent implementation of appropriate utilisation. These included a disconnect between the current rural animal veterinary technician qualifications and the requirement from veterinary clinical practice for specific skills, rather than a full qualification; the current veterinary training pathway not setting up veterinarians to be consultants; lack of regulation of allied veterinary professionals; current skills in the team; lack of trust in technicians from veterinarians; perception of client expectations that a vet will attend; willingness of veterinarians to relinquish control; lack of availability of technical staff; the requirement for veterinarians to provide 27/4 after-hours service; and the risk of technicians leaving after being trained up to go out on their own. Whilst overcoming some of these barriers requires industryled solutions, many can be resolved immediately within individual teams. Therefore, there is no need to wait for industry change to begin creating veterinary teams with excellent utilisation within individual rural animal veterinary practices.

Evaluation of a pre-professional pathway program: perspectives of former students in the rural pre-medicine program at Selkirk College.

Having a rural background is one of the most predictive factors in eventually having a rural practice, but people from rural areas face several barriers to post-secondary education. Pre-professional rural pathway initiatives are a potential solution. The Rural Pre-Medicine Program (RPM) at Selkirk College, British Columbia was developed to provide students with the credits necessary to apply to medicine and other health professional programs, an introduction to rural healthcare issues, and a unique and comprehensive support program to enable success. We administered a cross-sectional survey to former students who left the program from its inception in September 2014 to May 2020 to explore the extent to which program aims are being met. The response rate was 49.4% (40/81). Respondents agreed the program increased their skills, their understanding of rural healthcare issues, and enhanced their competitiveness for applying to health professional programs. Most agreed the program increased their future rural work intentions. Respondents suggested that academic programming be more flexible to allow for more varied post-program pathways. This survey provides preliminary evidence the RPM Program is on track to increase the number of people with a rural affinity who prepare to become health professionals.

A transnational student-led, rural-focussed inquiry: social work educational competency in disaster management

ABSTRACT Due to the impact of natural and human-caused disasters, for example, climate change, social workers are increasingly needed at the frontline of disaster management. However, some social workers feel unprepared for responding to the needs of vulnerable communities experiencing a disaster. Alongside this, many rural communities that experience disasters also live with social disadvantages, resulting in added layers of difficulty. In response to a gap in social work curricula, the authors residing in both Ireland and Australia decided to conduct a student-led, rural-focussed co-operative inquiry into the research question: How can social work curricula support emerging social workers in developing their competency for working in disaster-affected rural communities to enable resilience? In addressing this question, we propose that social work education include learning the four phases of disaster management (prevention, preparation, response and recovery) through the lens of social work ethics. We posit that social work students need to graduate with an awareness that disasters can exacerbate the issues of distance and social isolation, especially in rural communities. Further, students interested in rural practice would benefit from the cognizance of the factors that increase community vulnerability and the acquisition of strategies and skills associated with strengthening community resilience.

Viewpoint: Patient safety in primary care - patients are not just a beneficiary but a critical component in its achievement.

Promoting and maintaining patient safety in primary care requires different strategies and monitoring than utilized in large healthcare delivery systems. Maintenance of a culture of safety is key to providing patient safety but has been difficult to measure in primary care. This is particularly true in rural settings where practice size is a major barrier to measurement reliability. Primary care evaluates a wide range of patients, including those who are immunocompromised and others who have infectious diseases. Providing a safe environment with proper wearing of N95 masks, clean examination rooms, and adequate ventilation is important. Patients with infectious diseases should be separated from other patient populations. Primary care is often less bureaucratic than hospitals, but also has fewer resources to implement patient safety initiatives, along with detecting safety lapses and adverse events. However, monitoring the practice's safety practices and the culture of safety is of utmost importance and should be performed using both outcome and process measures. Because of the small size of many rural practices, effective monitoring of adverse events and maintenance of safety protocols should include patients. Patients are an important resource for reporting of adverse events and medical treatment outcomes. The aim of this manuscript is to underscore the importance of patient safety in primary care and to stimulate future research in developing a metric for the culture of safety in primary care, which also incorporates the patient perspective. Patients should be viewed not only as beneficiaries of patient safety but also as a critical component of its maintenance.

A Model for Empowering Rural Solutions for Cervical Cancer Prevention (He Tapu Te Whare Tangata): Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Crossover Trial.

Māori are the Indigenous people of Aotearoa (New Zealand). Despite global acceptance that cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable through vaccination and screening, wāhine Māori (Māori women) are more likely to have cervical cancer and 2.5 times more likely to die from it than non-Māori women. Rural Māori residents diagnosed with cervical cancer have worse outcomes than urban residents. Living in rural Aotearoa means experiencing barriers to appropriate and timely health care, resulting from distance, the lack of community resourcing, and low prioritization of rural needs by the health system and government. These barriers are compounded by the current screening processes and referral pathways that create delays at each step. Screening for high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) and point-of-care (POC) testing are scientific advances used globally to prevent cervical cancer. This study aims to compare acceptability, feasibility, timeliness, referral to, and attendance for colposcopy following hrHPV detection between a community-controlled pathway and standard care. This is a cluster randomized crossover trial, with 2 primary care practices (study sites) as clusters. Each site was randomized to implement either pathway 1 or 2, with crossover occurring at 15 months. Pathway 1 (community-controlled pathway) comprises HPV self-testing, 1-hour POC results, face-to-face information, support, and immediate referral to colposcopy for women with a positive test result. Pathway 2 (standard care) comprises HPV self-testing, laboratory analysis, usual results giving, information, support, and standard referral pathways for women with a positive test result. The primary outcome is the proportion of women with hrHPV-positive results having a colposcopy within 20 working days of the HPV test (national performance indicator). Qualitative research will analyze successes and challenges of both pathways from the perspectives of governance groups, clinical staff, women, and their family. This information will directly inform the new National Cervical Screening Program. In the first 15-month period, 743 eligible HPV self-tests were performed: 370 in pathway 1 with POC testing and 373 in pathway 2 with laboratory testing. The positivity rate for hrHPV was 7.3% (54/743). Data collection for the second period, qualitative interviews, and analyses are ongoing. This Māori-centered study combines quantitative and qualitative research to compare 2 clinical pathways from detection of hrHPV to colposcopy. This protocol draws on rural community practices strengths, successfully engaging Māori from a whānau ora (family wellness) approach including kanohi ki te kanohi (face-to-face), kaiāwhina (nonclinical community health workers), and multiple venues for interventions. It will inform the theory and practice of rural models of the use of innovative technology, addressing Māori cervical cancer inequities and facilitating Māori wellness. The findings are anticipated to be applicable to other Indigenous and rural people in high-income countries. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12621000553875; https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12621000553875. DERR1-10.2196/51643.

Rural patient and provider perceptions of telehealth implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundUnderstanding perceptions of telehealth implementation from patients and providers can improve the utility and sustainability of these programs, particularly in under-resourced rural settings. The purpose of this study was to evaluate both patient and provider perceptions of telehealth visits in a large rural healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic. To promote sustainability of telehealth approaches, we also assessed whether the percentage of missed appointments differed between in-person and telehealth visits.MethodsUsing anonymous surveys, we evaluated patient preferences and satisfaction with telehealth visits from November 2020 -March 2021 and assessed perceptions of telehealth efficiency and value among rural providers from September–October 2020. We examined whether telehealth perceptions differed according to patients’ age, educational attainment, insurance status, and distance to clinical site and providers’ age and length of time practicing medicine using ANOVA test. We also examined whether the percentage of missed appointments differed between in-person and telehealth visits at a family practice clinic within the rural healthcare system from April to September 2020 using a Chi-square test.ResultsOver 73% of rural patients had favorable perceptions of telehealth visits, and satisfaction was generally higher among younger patients. Patients reported difficulty with scheduling follow-up appointments, lack of personal contact and technology challenges as common barriers. Over 80% of the 219 providers responding to the survey reported that telehealth added value to their practice, while 36.6% agreed that telehealth visits are more efficient than in-person visits. Perception of telehealth value and efficiency did not differ by provider age (p = 0.67 and p = 0.67, respectively) or time in practice (p = 0.53 and p = 0.44, respectively). Technology challenges for the patient (91.3%) and provider (45.1%) were commonly reported. The percentage of missed appointments was slightly higher for telehealth visits compared to in-person visits, but the difference was not statistically significant (8.7% vs. 8.0%; p = 0.39).ConclusionsTelehealth perceptions were generally favorable among rural patients and providers, although satisfaction was lower among older patients and providers. Our findings suggest that telehealth approaches may add value and efficiency to rural clinical practice. However, technology issues for both patients and providers and gaps in care coordination need to be addressed to promote sustainability of telehealth approaches in rural practice.

Rediscovering rural territories: Local perceptions and the benefits of collective mapping for sustainable development in Colombian communities

Territorial analysis contributes to sustainable rural development practices and social action. Based on the qualitative methodological principle in the application of collective mapping, where peasants are the main actors in identifying local realities from a participatory geographic perspective, it is possible to characterize multiple rural realities and their community diversity. Firstly, recent qualitative methodological tools are identified to evaluate the scope of application and level of satisfaction of local actors in a Colombian rural context. Secondly, an explanation of the collective mapping method with communities is addressed for its subsequent application. Finally, local perspectives are examined based on the documentation of sociocultural and environmental components, threats, pollution, and places of interest within the territory that allow for the construction of the visual tool in active community participation workshops. Therefore, the article's purpose is to discuss the benefits of collective mapping as a playful and visual option for the rediscovery of the territory from local perspectives, leading to reflection on the need to create sustainable rural development strategies.

Rural family physician use of point-of-care ultrasonography: experiences of primary care providers in British Columbia, Canada

BackgroundIn British Columbia (BC), rural and remote areas lack proximal access to radiographic services. Poor access to radiographic services in rural settings presents a challenge to timely diagnosis and screening across many disease states and healthy pregnancies. As a solution to the lack of access to radiographic services in rural settings, the Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc) supported rural Family Physicians (FPs) wishing to use PoCUS through the Intelligent Network for PoCUS (IN PoCUS) program. This study evaluates FPs’ experience and use of PoCUS in their clinical practice.MethodsThis qualitative study conducted in-depth virtual interviews with 21 FPs across rural BC. The interview asked participants’ motivation to participate in the RCCbc program, the type of training they received, their current use of PoCUS, their experience with the technology, and their experience interacting with specialists in regional centres. Thematic analysis of findings was undertaken.ResultsThis study used Rogers’ framework on the five elements of diffusion of innovation to understand the factors that impede and enable the adoption of PoCUS in rural practice. Rural FPs in this study differentiated PoCUS from formal imaging done by specialists. The adoption of PoCUS was viewed as an extension of physical exams and was compatible with their values of providing generalist care. This study found that the use of PoCUS provided additional information that led to better clinical decision-making for triage and allowed FPs to determine the urgency for patient referral and transport to tertiary hospitals. FPs also reported an increase in job satisfaction with PoCUS use. Some barriers to using PoCUS included the time needed to be acquainted with the technology and learning how to integrate it into their clinical flow in a seamless manner.ConclusionThis study has demonstrated the importance of PoCUS in improving patient care and facilitating timely diagnosis and treatment. As the use of PoCUS among FPs is relatively new in Canada, larger infrastructure support such as improving billing structures, long-term subsidies, educational opportunities, and a quality improvement framework is needed to support the use of PoCUS among rural FPs.

Biomarker Testing Trends in Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Who Live in Rural Areas and Urban Clusters in the US.

There is a paucity of data on biomarker testing rates in rural populations with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). To assess biomarker testing practices, oncologists in rural areas and urban clusters in the US were surveyed. A web-based survey was administered to oncologists spending ≥40% of their time practicing in rural areas or urban clusters and who had treated ≥2 patients with stage IV mCRC in the prior month. Ninety-nine oncologists completed the quantitative survey and 17 the qualitative interview. Among respondents, 97% reported ordering biomarker tests. Oncologists reported testing for KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, HER2, and mismatch repair deficiency/microsatellite instability in 72%, 65%, 63%, 56%, and 66% of patients with metastatic disease, respectively. Forty-one percent reported performing reflex testing. The most cited testing barriers were lack of insurance coverage, insufficient tissue samples, and long turnaround times. Further assessment of rural testing practices is needed.

SYMPTOMATOLOGY FOLLOWING COVID-19 VACCINATION – A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN CENTRAL INDIA

Objective: A successful COVID-19 vaccine should survive the safety, efficacy, and potency testing phases without causing any negative side effects, especially in high-risk individuals, such as the elderly, pregnant women, people with comorbidities, health-care workers, and others. The present study was conducted to determine common symptoms following the COVID-19 vaccine, the intensity of symptoms after the first and second doses, and estimate the prevalence of acquiring COVID-19 infection after getting vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in the rural field practice area, including 445 participants from 19 villages. The statistical analysis was done using Microsoft Excel, and the data were represented in frequency and graphs. Results: In the present study, the maximum (74%) of participants were Covishield recipients. The top three symptoms experienced after the first dose were headache (189), fever (130), and pain in the arm at which the vaccine was given (77). After the second dose, the top three symptoms were fever (281), headache (137), and fatigue (73). The top three psychosomatic symptoms were increased sleep (162), decreased sleep (122), and the third ranker was anxiety (93). More participants reported having severe symptoms after the first dose than after the second. Three percent of research participants contracted COVID-19 infection after the first dose, and 2% after the second. Conclusion: Fever and headache were common symptoms after the first and second doses, but symptoms were more severe after administration of the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Following vaccination, COVID-19 infection was extremely rare among participants.

Starting out rural: a qualitative study of the experiences of family physician graduates transitioning to practice in rural Ontario.

New family medicine graduates are a promising group to recruit to underserved rural areas. This study aimed to understand the experiences of this group as they transitioned to practice in rural Ontario. We used a hermeneutic phenomenology approach. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants who graduated from a Canadian family medicine residency program and worked in a rural community in Ontario (Rurality Index for Ontario score ≥ 40) for at least 1 year within the past 5 years. Participants completed an online demographic survey followed by a virtual semistructured interview (May-August 2022). Interviews were video recorded and transcribed. Two researchers reviewed transcripts for codes, and then codes were reviewed in an iterative process to create themes. Transcripts, codes and themes were reviewed by an independent researcher, and final themes were shared with participants to ensure reliability. We included 18 family physicians in the study. We identified 8 themes and 18 subthemes. The themes identified as important to the experience of new graduates were as follows: choosing rural practice, preparedness for practice, navigating work-life balance, navigating transition to practice, challenges during transition to practice, successes during transition to practice, locuming and emergency medicine as part of rural generalist practice. Most physicians interviewed felt prepared for rural practice and enjoyed their work; however, they faced unique challenges associated with being an early-career physician in rural practice. This study identifies opportunities for improvements, which can guide medical educators, rural communities and their recruiters, new graduates and policy-makers.

O27 - Rural Midwifery Group Practice: Growing Communities and scope-filled graduates

O27 - Rural Midwifery Group Practice: Growing Communities and scope-filled graduates

Awareness, acceptance, and hesitancy about COVID-19 vaccine among residents of urban and rural health training center field practice area of a medical college at Kolkata: A cross-sectional survey

Background: Effective vaccination is a successful tool for controlling COVID-19 pandemic, along with other preventive measures. Both intention to get vaccinated and barrier to vaccination played important role in COVID vaccination drive. Aims and Objectives: The present study was conducted to assess awareness, acceptance, and hesitancy about COVID-19 vaccine among the residents of rural and urban area and to assess the factors related to their attitude. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among the adult residents of urban and rural area over 6 months. Total sample size was 400. Simple random sampling technique was adopted to recruit the study participants after obtaining informed verbal consent. This process was continued until the desired number of sample size was attained. Data were compiled after collection and analysis was done. Results: Rural population had significantly higher knowledge of coronavirus and urban population knew prevention of coronavirus infection more. Correct knowledge of COVID vaccine availability was higher among rural people but higher knowledge of vaccine related information was among urban population. Sources of information were mainly from mass media. Vaccine acceptance was more among urban population, but apprehension was significantly higher among urban residents. Higher proportion of urban people was motivated significantly by the healthcare workers as well as self-motivated than their rural counterpart. Conclusion: Targeted interventions could be developed for increasing awareness of disease and availability of COVID-19 vaccines. Population-based vaccination program can decline the trend of the pandemic in long term.

Barriers of household toilet utilization among toilet owners in a rural area of Northern India: An analytical cross-sectional study.

Open defecation continues to prevail among toilet owners despite effective implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin). We conducted this study to determine toilet utilization rates and learn about the barriers to toilet use in the rural areas. By understanding the barriers, physicians can provide targeted education and become better equipped to manage their patients' conditions and advocate for their demands. We conducted a cross-sectional study on the households of the rural field practice areas of the department in central Uttar Pradesh by the census method. House listing was procured from the departmental records. The questionnaire was directed at both the household level and individual level. The proportion of households with access to a toilet was found to be 91.1% of which 504 households were included in the study. Among the toilet owners, 115 (22.8%) households were not using toilets exclusively by all the members. At the individual level, age groups (of 20-59 years, and ≥60 years) and female gender were found to be significantly associated with open defecation. At the household level, government assistance for toilet construction and livestock keeping was found to be associated with open defecation. Major barriers to toilet use were childhood habits, dearth of toilets in the farming grounds/workplace, women during menstruation and having a non-functional toilet. This study indicates that merely installing a household toilet does not ensure exclusive utilization of toilet and the practice of open defecation might continue to be prevalent if corrective measures are not undertaken.

Nutritional Status of Women of Reproductive Age in a Rural Area of Southwestern Bihar during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract Introduction: Health and well-being of any population are reflected by its nutritional status, which is mainly determined by two important factors, namely dietary intake and the food habits. About 22.9% of women in reproductive age (15–49 years) in India and about 30.4% of women in Bihar are undernourished, with a body mass index (BMI) of <18.5 kg/m2. Aims and Objectives: The aims and objectives of the study were to assess the nutritional status and to find out the association between sociodemographic variables and nutritional status of women in the reproductive age group in a rural area of southwestern Bihar. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 311 women of the reproductive age group residing in rural field practice area of NMCH, Sasaram, who gave informed consent to participate in the study. Results: After analysis, it was found that 74% of the women consumed a mixed Indian diet, 24% of women took their first meal in the afternoon and in 64% of women, diet diversity was not maintained, about 74% of the women are within the normal range of BMI. Diet diversity was maintained in the literate group with educational status above the primary level and the association between diet diversity and educational status was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: It was concluded from the study that women of reproductive age in this part of Bihar also suffer from a dual burden of malnutrition, with the majority being undernourished, whereas a few also being suffering from a higher waist–hip ratio.

Preface

It is with great honor; we present the proceeding of the 4th International Conference of Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in The Tropics (IC-FSSAT) 2023, which was organized by the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Hasanuddin, and held online in the 15 – 16 February 2023. The proceeding of the previous conferences in this series has been published in the IOP conference series: Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES).The proceeding of the 4th IC-FSSAT consists of 225 reviewed papers across 10 main scopes; (i) Industrial-scale Agriculture, (ii) Food Agribusiness and Rural Development, (iii) Food Agribusiness and Rural Development, (iv) Biodiversity, Soil Health and Agricultural Practices (v) Integrated Pest and Disease Management, (vi) Plant Breeding and Biotechnology (vii) Agricultural Engineering, (viii) Digital Farming, (ix) Food Processing, Safety and Diversification and (x) Crop Production System. In addition to the excellent paper presentations at the conference, the conference also featured nine keynote and invited speakers with expertise in the field of the conference’s subjects. Please allow us to take this opportunity to thank the keynote speaker and the invited speakers: Dr. Tony Liwang (Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency, Indonesia; Prof. Siti Kusujiarti (Warren Wilson College, USA); Prof. Bunyamin Tar’an (University of Saskatchewan, Canada); Prof. Sikstus Gusli (Hasanuddin University, Makassar- Indonesia); Dr. Thong Nguyen-Huy (The University of Southern Queensland, Australia); Dr. Didier Lesueur (Centre de cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Developpement (CIRAD), France; Dr. Anwar Syed H. Rizvi Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USA; Prof. Hasil Sembiring (IRRI Indonesia); and Dr. Inamullah Khan (The University of Agriculture, Pakistan).I would like to express our deepest gratitude to all committees for this conference’s success and smooth running. Last but not least, a warm thank you to all academics, researchers, and observers of Faculties of Agriculture, Science, Animal Husbandry, and Forestry for their participation in submitting their article in the IOP proceedings series EES 2023. I sincerely look forward to all the contributions that will benefit and promote the development of a sustainable agricultural innovation sector toward achieving the SDGs and dealing with the triple planetary issues.Warm Regards,Muhammad JUNAID, SP., MP., PhDConference Chairman Faculty of Agriculture, Hasanuddin UniversityList of Conference Committees, Conference Photograph are available in this pdf.

HEALTH CARE SEEKING BEHAVIOUR IN RURAL AURANGABAD: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Background: Due to modernization and advances, health care services are quietly improved but at the same time, health seeing behaviour is altered too. After National Rural Health Mission, Public Health Care system have drastically improved in terms of Infrastructure and health workers. Promotion to other treatment pathies by government as AYUSH made awareness to people to have alternate to have extra options. Even in private sector, specialist services are available at Block level. Handy phones and quick availability of treating health care persons as well as over the counter medicine made people to seek health care need easily. Still morbidity and mortality pattern for some illnesses remain part of concern. Objective: To assess healthcare seeking behaviour among rural population in Aurangabad Materials/Methods:The Cross-sectional study was conducted in rural field practice area of GMC Aurangabad. Takinghealth seeking behaviour prevalence as 34.5%, sample size was calculated using Cochranes formula as 376 taking relative error 5% with 10% non-response rate. By systematic random sampling one member from each household interviewed after taking prior consent.Interview was done usingpredesigned questionnaire and data on age,sex, occupation, educational status, treatment seeking approach in illnesses was collected. Data wasanalysed using descriptive statistical methods using MS Excel 365 and SPSS 29 trial version. Results: As seen 74% respondents have inhibitions in discussing health issue with family members and 59% require permission from head of the family to access health care services. Seventy-three percent respondents are aware of nearby health care delivery system, 60% care to approach nearby healthcare system when ill. After becoming ill, twenty-four% gets some medicine from the nearby medical drug store while 20% still approach nearby spiritual healers for treatment. Conclusion:Health issue discussions inhibited by gender, occupation, marital status, and literacy. Treatment choice based on fees for working individuals. Health centre awareness linked to gender and literacy. Marital status and literacy impact healthcare decision-making.

MALAYSIA ASSESSMENT MEASURE FOR MODERN RURAL DEVELOPMENT (MAMRD): APPRAISAL INDEX AND INTERVENTION

Technology disruption makes it difficult for rural areas to cope with digital infrastructure and people's readiness to embrace changes. Indeed, technological advancements provide greater opportunities to transform rural areas into instinctive living environments - destinations to invest, work, live, and visit. However, a significant question arises: how far has this innovative technology been practised in rural activities? The current paper aims to demonstrate the application of a Malaysia Assessment Measure for Modern Rural Development (MAMRD); it incorporates the rural technology practices for appraising the score (index) towards a modern rural approach, thereby enabling lessons to be learned for further improvements. From this measurement, it was found that the aqua-tourism and smart community-based village (Kampung Padang Rumbia, Pekan, Pahang) scored 55.92% in the overall index, which could put it into a three-star rating village. The fishing-based village (Kampung Tepi Sungai, Sungai Muda, Kedah) gained two-star with 30.51%. The results become the self-checked intervention for them to move towards a modern rural approach. In the end, MAMRD shall assist all stakeholders who rely on rural and community transformation, such as Institute for Rural Enhancement (INFRA) and Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Keselamatan Kampung (JPKK). Undeniably, this paper also reveals the agendas of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) towards societal harmony and happiness.

昭通市易地扶贫搬迁安置区社区治理与社区居民参与研究

This study aims to explain the participation behavior of community residents in community public affairs in resettlement areas, and to assist in grassroots community governance and rural revitalization practices in China. Taking the resettlement community in Jing’an District, Zhaotong City as a typical case of a “stranger society” community, the necessary data for the study was obtained through questionnaire survey and quantitative analysis was conducted. The research finds that marriage status, registered residence and residence time have a significant impact on community residents’ participation in public affairs, followed by education background, political outlook, housing type and occupation; Community residents are more willing to participate in community public affairs on the subjective level, but the participation rate is relatively low on the practical level; The closer the relationship between the actual interests of the residents and the community they belong to, the more the community affairs are related to the interests of the residents, the more the residents pay attention to them, and the higher the willingness and degree of participation will be. The research results contribute to enhancing the social governance of local governments in resettlement communities, and promote the effective connection between targeted poverty alleviation and rural revitalization.

Building the capacity of rural allied health generalists through online postgraduate education: a qualitative evaluation.

Workforce development is a key strategy for building the capacity and capability of a workforce. Accordingly, rural and remote practising allied health professionals require relevant and accessible continuing professional development to enhance their knowledge and skills and improve consumer health outcomes. This study explored the impact of an online postgraduate allied health rural generalist education program, from the perspective of allied health professionals participating in the program and their supervisors and managers. A qualitative, exploratory descriptive study design was employed using semistructured interviews. This study formed the qualitative component of a larger convergent mixed-methods evaluation study aimed at evaluating the reach, quality and impact of an online rural generalist education program for allied health professionals in Australia. Allied health professionals from seven professions enrolled in an online postgraduate rural generalist education program, the rural generalist program (RGP). Their designated work-based supervisors and their managers who were responsible for the operational management of the study sites were invited to participate in the study. All participants were employed in rural and remote health services in 10 sites across four Australian states. Study participants' experience and perceptions of the impact of the RGP on themselves, the healthcare service and the broader community were explored using semistructured interviews. Data were thematically analysed site by site, then across sites using Braun and Clarke's (2012) systematic six-phase approach. Provisional codes were generated and iteratively compared, contrasted and collapsed into secondary, more advanced codes until final themes and subthemes were developed. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 23 allied health professionals enrolled in the RGP and their 27 work-based supervisors and managers across the 10 study sites. Three final themes were identified that describe the impact of the RGP: building capability as rural generalist allied health professionals; recruiting and building a rural workforce; enhancing healthcare services and consumer outcomes. Allied health professionals working in rural and remote locations valued the RGP because it provided accessible postgraduate education that aligned with their professional and clinical needs. Integrated into a supportive, well-structured development pathway, the experience potentiated learning and facilitated safe clinical practice that met the needs of consumers and organisations. The findings demonstrate that effective work-integrated learning strategies can enhance the development of essential capabilities for rural practice and support early-career allied health professionals' transition to rural and remote practice. These experiences can engage allied health professionals in a way that engenders a desire to remain working in rural and remote contexts.