Mobile Health Clinics and Disease Surveillance
Loading...
Authors
Phillip, Henry
Date of Issue
2024
Type
Presentation
Language
en_US
Subject Keywords
Other Titles
Abstract
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “About 46 million Americans—15% of the US population--live in rural areas.” Compared to urban populations, rural areas have a higher prevalence of heart disease, cancer, and chronic lower respiratory disease. The rates of chronic conditions in rural areas are higher because the barriers of transportation availability, expense, limited education, and absence from work or family all must be overcome for healthcare to be received. Mobile health clinics (MHC) are traveling healthcare facilities and may be a solution to the many barriers that prevent rural Americans from receiving healthcare. MHC performs disease prevalence surveillance, medical condition prevention or management education, and disease treatment. There are currently over 414 MHC in the United States, each demonstrating the viability of MHC as a potential tool to improve rural healthcare. The purpose of this evidenced-based practice literature review is to determine whether MHC in rural areas would be effective in increasing the accuracy of disease surveillance rates. Three articles were reviewed and the findings serve as evidence for nurses focused on creating a MHC network in Montana that increases healthcare access and the efficacy of community health practices. MHC provides the opportunity for student nurses to gain experience evaluating patients and expand the impact of the MHC for the staff.