Poverty, which is defined as a family income of less than $3,000 annually, is more serious than just being deprived of simple luxuries. To be poor is to suffer physically and to have high mortality rates. It also means ecological and social segregation from society. In 1960 Texas had a larger proportion of families with incomes under $3,000…

Although rural Texas residents have some access to medical care, it is often limited by poverty, lack of health insurance or coverage under public programs, cultural barriers, racial discrimination, and limited education. It is inaccurate to say that rural residents receive health care if health is defined in terms of environmental, physical,…

Although there exists in the minds of urban Texans the myth that rural life is especially healthy, in fact the mental and physical health of rural Texans is markedly worse than that of urban Texans. If health is defined in terms of environmental, physical, mental, and social factors, it is inaccurate to say that rural residents are receiving…

The size of Texas and the distribution of its population result in service delivery, economic, educational, transportation, communication, and health problems. Texas is the second largest state in the nation, is third largest in population, has a population growing at a faster rate than the national average, and is a primarily rural state--20% of…