Tennessee stretches from the scenic Great Smoky Mountains of the east to the banks of the Mississippi River in the west. Tennessee covers 41,217 square miles, with a 2010 estimated population of 6,346,105 people – with 1,686,343 living in rural Tennessee (USDA-ERS). Nashville is the state capital. The state’s largest cities are Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 77.6% of the state’s population is white, 16.7% is Black/African-American, and 4.6% is of Hispanic/Latino origin (2010).
There are 125 hospitals in Tennessee, 17 of which are identified by the Flex Monitoring Team as Critical Access Hospitals (Sept. 2010). There are 56 Rural Health Clinics in Tennessee (Kaiser, 2011), and 23 Federally Qualified Health Centers provide services at 147 sites in the state (Kaiser, 2010). 15.0% of Tennessee residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2008-2009).
According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per-capita income for Tennessee residents in 2009 was $34,277, although rural per-capita income lagged at $27,723. Estimates from 2010 indicate a poverty rate of 20.4% exists in rural Tennessee, compared to 16.8% in urban areas of the state. 2010 ACS data reports that 23.2% of the rural population has not completed high school, compared to 15.3% of urban populations. The unemployment rate in rural Tennessee is 11.9%, while in urban Tennessee, it is 9.0% (USDA-ERS, 2010).
For a national comparison, please see an overview of the United States.
Data Sources
U.S. Census Bureau: State & County QuickFacts; USDA Economic Research Service: State Fact Sheets; Kaiser Family Foundation State Health Facts; Flex Monitoring Team: Critical Access Hospital List
Organizations
Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)
Federal government
Supports economic and social development in all of West Virginia and parts of twelve other states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
HUD Community Development Block Grants: Tennessee
Federal government
Contact information for the State CDBG program. Provides funding for community development projects.
National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Southeastern/Atlantic Region (NN/LM SE/A)
State/regional organization
Works to improve access to health information for health care providers, librarians, and the public in Alabama, the District of Columbia,
Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia and West Virginia.
Rural Partnership- Tennessee
State/regional organization
Works to enhance statewide collaboration on workforce planning to better serve rural and underserved communities and health providers in Tennessee by assisting in the recruitment, placement and retention of physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses and other health professionals.
Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC)
State/regional organization
One of four regional rural development centers in the nation. Works to strengthen the region's 29 land-grant institutions in addressing rural development issues. Serves a 14 state area in the Southern region which includes TX, LA, AR, OK, AL, MS, GA, FL, KY, SC, NC, VA, and TN.
Tennessee Area Health Education Center Program (AHEC)
State/regional organization
Strives to improve the supply and distribution of health care professionals-with an emphasis on primary care-in urban and rural Tennessee. This website provides information on and contact details for each of the three regional AHECs in the state.
Tennessee Association of Community Action
State/regional organization
Works to empower local agencies through advocacy, training, and the provision of technical assistance to promote self-sufficiency and personal growth in the individuals, families and communities of Tennessee.
Tennessee Department of Health
State government
Works to improve the health of all Tennessee residents.
Tennessee Department of Health: Division of Minority Health and Health Disparities Elimination (DMHHDE)
State government
Serves as a central point for the Department on minority health issues in Tennessee.
Tennessee Department of Human Services
State government
Provides adult and family services, child support, and rehabilitation services.
Tennessee Hospital Association (THA)
State/regional organization
Works to lead members in advocacy for and support of community-based hospitals and health systems and to assist them in delivering accessible, cost-effective, quality health services.
Tennessee Office of Rural Health
State government
Works to improve and enhance the accessibility, availability, and affordability of quality health care in Tennessee by creating a central focus and coordination of rural health care resources. A division of the Tennessee Department of Health.
Tennessee Primary Care Association (TNPCA)
State/regional organization
Commits to maximizing access to health care for all Tennesseans with emphasis on the medically underserved.
Tennessee Regional Extension Center (tnREC)
State/regional organization
Tennessee State Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (REC) that helps health care providers become meaningful users of electronic health records by providing information and technical assistance.
Tennessee Rural Health Association (RHAT)
State/regional organization
The Rural Health Association of Tennessee works to improve the policies and practices of health programs and services in Tennessee.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Tennessee (HUD)
Federal government
Works to increase homeownership, support community development and increase access to affordable housing. The HUD state office provides information about HUD housing programs and local contacts for the state.
USDA Rural Development Tennessee State Office
Federal government
Committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in all of rural America. The Rural Development State Office provides information about Rural Development programs and applications for financial assistance.
Tools
ERS State Fact Sheet: Tennessee
Web site
Lists statistics on population, educational attainment, employment, income, farm characteristics, and farm financial indicators for the state.
National Healthcare Quality Report State Snapshot: Tennessee
Web site
Health care quality report for the state, based on the National Healthcare Quality Report.
NN/LM Southeastern Atlantic Region: Tennessee Resources
Web site
Overview of the state, with links to state agencies, health associations, and other resources for Tennessee.
Tennessee AgrAbility Project
Web site
Provides individualized services on the farm or at the work setting to help disabled individuals return to farming, the community and independent living.
Tennessee Health Centers Data
Web site
Provides access to information on Federally Qualified Health Centers for the state. Includes a map of FQHC locations, as well as information on the populations served by health centers, services provided, staff, patient visits, costs of care, and use of electronic health information.
Tennessee KIDS COUNT Data Center (KCDC)
Web site
Provides data on child well-being for the state.
Tennessee QuickFacts
Web site
Basic demographic and economic statistics for the state, with links to county-level data.
Tennessee State Health Facts
Database
The latest state-level data on demographics, health, and health policy, including health coverage, access, financing, and state legislation. Individual state profiles and 50-state comparisons.
See also: Resources for All States: Tools Documents, Reports and Other Publications
Demographic and Economic Profile: Tennessee
Author(s): Kathleen K. Miller
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
Discusses demographic and economic data including population, race, education, age, poverty, income, and more. Includes maps and graphics.
Date: 02 / 2009
Housing in the Lower Mississippi Delta
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
Discusses the housing needs of the Lower Mississippi Delta that will require multi-level approaches to address the social, political, and economic infrastructure of the region.
Date: 10 / 2010
Long-Term Impacts of Retiree In-Migration on Rural Areas: A Case Study of Cumberland County, Tennessee
Sponsoring organization: University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service
Summarizes a report commissioned by the Institute for Public Service to inform state, local, and regional officials, and other interested individuals about the various impacts of a substantial influx of in-migrant retirees (IMRs) on a rural community.
Date: 01 / 2007
Profiles of State Innovation: Roadmap for Managing Long-Term Supports and Services
Author(s): Alice Link, Suzanne Gore, Lindsay Barnette, Stephen Somers
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
Identifies five states that demonstrate expertise in managed care approaches for individuals with long-term care needs. States included are Arizona, Hawaii, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
Date: 11 / 2010
Small Business Profile: Tennessee
Sponsoring organization: Small Business Administration
Profile of the state's economy, covering the number of firms, industry composition, small business income, banking, women and minority business ownership, and employment.
Date: 02 / 2011
See also: Resources for All States: Documents Success Stories
Cherokee Health Systems Rural Outreach Project
Cherokee Health Systems proposed a collaborative health outreach project to address issues like language barriers, lack of trust in the health care system, and, in many cases, more pressing human needs—such as social services, food, and clothing in this predominately rural Appalachian region.
Tellico Plains Full-Service, School-Based Clinic
The school-based clinic was designed to address several health problems in the community by improving the physical health status of school-age children in Tellico Plains and surrounding communities and by identifying and treating health problems and ensuring followup care.
Drug Endangered Child Outreach Network Project
This project aims to deliver integrated medical and mental health services to Drug-Endangered Children/Drug-Endangered Infants and their families per year immediately upon identification.
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