Fundamentals of Nursing, 3Ce (Kozier)
Chapter 15 Rural and Remote Health Care
1) A nurse is caring for a client in a small rural Saskatchewan community
... [Show More] situated within a 30
minute drive to a larger urban centre. What should the nurse understand about the health of
Canadians who live in rural versus urban areas?
A) Rural areas have a lower incidence of respiratory diseases.
B) Hearing loss is more common among urban populations.
C) Urban populations have a higher incidence of motor vehicle fatalities.
D) Populations in urban areas are healthier than those of rural areas.
Answer: D
Explanation:
A) Incorrect. Respiratory disease is a common health problem among agrarian rural dwellers,
and rates of respiratory diseases are significantly higher across the board in rural communities,
compared with urban centres, according to DesMeules et al. (2006). Exposure to grain dust,
wood smoke, agricultural chemicals for crop production, and noxious gases emitted from silos or
oil and gas wells have all been implicated as having immediate or long-term adverse effects on
the health of this population.
B) Incorrect. Many rural residents are at increased risk for noise-induced hearing loss. Working
with heavy equipment, such as grain dryers, tractors, combines, and augers, can lead to intense
exposure to loud noises for long periods.
C) Incorrect. In Northern areas, snowmobile mishaps are the leading cause of injury and death.
Another factor related to the increased mortality in MVCs in rural areas is the distance that must
be travelled to get the necessary resources to the person in need. In 2004, 62% of collisions
resulting in a fatality were in rural areas (Statistics Canada, 2008c).
D) Correct. Studies of the health status of rural populations and the major determinants of health
show that although health varied within rural areas, generally speaking, the closer residents lived
to urban centres, the better their health. They further showed that what really discriminates urban
from rural and areas within rural regions are health determinants (socioeconomic) and the
presence of specific health conditions, such as respiratory disease, trauma, breast cancer, heart
disease, infant mortality, smoking, and obesity.
Type: MC
CRNE Competency: Health and Wellness
CRNE Taxonomy: Knowledge
Learning Outcome: 15-2 [Show Less]