The Startling Rise in Death in Arizona’s Rural Healthcare

I live in a strange dichotomy. I'm only a few miles away from one of the most technologically sophisticated Army bases in the world. Yet, our healthcare system is lacking, even in the shadow of the world-renowned military complex.

Cochise County is a more rural part of Arizona, especially when compared to the Phoenix or Tucson metropolitan areas. There is a noticeable deficit in healthcare quality and availability.

According to reports, healthcare in rural Arizona has more challenges than in urban areas.

Get our free mobile app

Fewer healthcare providers, longer travel distances to medical facilities, and limited access to specialists contribute to the challenges in the area. At worst, rural Arizona experiences higher mortality rates from chronic diseases and cancer than the more urban centers in our state.

Arizona Department of Health Services: Rural Arizona Suffers Worse Health Outcomes

According to a report by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), the lack of doctors puts patients at risk in rural Arizona, and the numbers support this claim.

READ MORE: Arizona Ranked 49th In Nation For Mental Health "Devastating"

The Dramatic Increase in Arizona's Mortality Rate

The mortality rates in Arizona have risen dramatically. The ADHS reports that the state of Arizona experienced "a significant increase in death from all causes between 2019 and 2020, with a 25.8% jump."
Adjusted for patients' age, the mortality rate escalated from 676.6 per 100,000 to 842.2 per 100,000 at the conclusion of the study. Arizona had the 23rd highest death rate in the United States.

In rural Arizona, people ages 25 to 54 die from natural causes, like chronic diseases and cancer, at much higher rates than people of the same age who live in urban areas.

KEEP READING: Rural Arizona's Skyrocketing Death Rate Cause for Concern

Increasing Healthcare Access in Arizona's Rural Areas

Several organizations are working on solutions to increase access to healthcare in Arizona's rural locales. Telehealth and mobile health care units are expanding healthcare options.

They're also providing incentives to encourage healthcare providers, like student loan forgiveness and housing support, hoping that doctors will choose to live and work in rural communities. Together, there's hope that the state of rural healthcare will begin to change in Arizona.

Sources: Arizona Department of Health Services | Arizona Center for Rural Health | Azalea Health |  CBS News | NIH | Editor & Publisher Magazine