Introduction

Nurse Midwives Deliver Needed Services in Rural Areas
by Candi Helseth
As rural areas grapple with shortages in obstetrical services, midwives increasingly are helping fill those gaps.

Innovative Programs Aim to Prevent Premature Births
by Candi Helseth
Preterm births and infant mortality are higher in rural areas, but programs in North Carolina and Georgia are helping women carry
their pregnancies longer.

Challenges for Human Services
by Tom Corbett, Ph.D.
Why Not A Rational Policymaking Process?
A comparative perspective on poverty has never revealed an encouraging storyline for U.S. policies designed to address this issue.

Look What’s Coming
by Wayne Myers, M.D.
Too Much in Common With China
The Gini index, which reveals economic disparities, shows that the United States is now on par with Mexico and China.

Around the Country
by Candi Helseth
Finding New Ways to Meet Oral Health Needs in Rural Areas
Dentist shortages are prompting rural doctors and nurses to provide dental care themselves.

Rural Spotlight
An Interview with Kristine Sande
by Beth Blevins
The program director of the Rural Assistance Center (RAC) and the Health Workforce Information Center discusses her rural roots and the evolution of the RAC.