Access to quality healthcare remains a significant challenge for many rural communities. They often face unique health challenges, including limited access to healthcare providers, higher rates of chronic conditions, and lower health literacy. The Auburn University College of Nursing (AUCON) is committed to bridging these gaps by providing comprehensive healthcare services and education to rural communities.
To address these disparities, Auburn University launched the Rural Health Initiative (AURHI) led by Outreach and Extension, aimed towards improving healthcare services and outcomes for underserved populations. AURHI aims to enhance healthcare access and improve health outcomes through a multifaceted approach and AUCON is focused on providing services and education.
Targeting the underserved populations in Chambers County, Ala., the Chambers County Health and Wellness Center (hereafter termed the Center) opened in 2022, and since then, has served 1,000 patients. Services are provided with telehealth or traditional, face-to-face visits.
“Many come seeking resources, and we’ve identified a significant need for hypertension management — a majority of the patients have elevated blood pressure, with a notable percentage not on medication,” said Dr. Linda Gibson-Young, health services director for AURHI. “In response, we partnered with VCOM and AUCON students to provide educational sessions about strokes. We have also initiated interventions to meet patients where they are with cardiovascular health.”
The Center has informative posters on asthma, maternal health, diabetes, and blood pressure that students use to educate the community. Nursing students play a crucial role, gaining hands-on experience and developing cultural competency by participating in all aspects of the initiative. Every Wednesday, students from multiple disciplines work at the Center, contributing several hours every semester to offer blood pressure screenings and share information about systolic and diastolic numbers and their health implications. The students have also received requests for information on type 2 diabetes and how to manage it.
“Recently, we have encountered patients experiencing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a serious condition that can lead to organ failure,” said Gibson-Young. “Addressing this is crucial, and our educational efforts aim to prevent complications like gangrene and necrosis. We want the community to know that we are available and ready for added evidence-based health information.
“When we identify patients with high blood pressure, we invite them to participate in our cardiovascular health program, which offers free blood pressure monitoring at our clinic and provides home blood pressure cuffs. Participants receive evaluations for cholesterol, blood glucose, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and electrolytes over a multiple-week study period. We’re available every Wednesday for additional information. This is a multi-year study, and we've recently expanded to other Alabama counties,” Gibson-Young added.
On November 13, the Center will offer primary care and women’s health services from AUCON practitioner faculty, Dr. Pridemore, Dr. Winter, and Nurse Practitioner Claire Thompson. “We partner with Harrison College of Pharmacy for this service, which has an associated cost. The service accepts insurance and those without insurance can access a sliding scale based on income.” The monthly clinics have met a great need for improved chronic disease management in Lafayette, Ala.
The AURHI is also collaborating with mobile units which offer mammograms and other services. Additionally, a team from Birmingham will bring their Medical Bus Initiative to the Black Belt on November 2, providing exams, medications, free COVID testing, and foot and gastrointestinal health checks, along with a pillow drive.
The Veteran’s Day program is exciting and will be held on November 9, for the second year of this initiative. Last year, our reception area was packed! We aim to hold the clinic outdoors, weather permitting.
These experiences have provided valuable lessons, guiding future program enhancements. The initiative is making a tangible difference in the lives of rural residents. AUCON is grateful for the support from its partners and look forward to continuing this vital work.
“Looking ahead, we plan to expand the initiative to additional rural communities and broaden the scope of services offered. Additional clinics using the telehealth technology are now open in Greene, Hale, Sumter and Wilcox Counties, with plans to open in several east Alabama counties over the next year. Ensuring sustainability through continuous evaluation and securing ongoing funding will be key to our success,” said Gibson-Young. “Together, we can ensure that quality healthcare is accessible to all, regardless of geographic location.”
