Research Accomplishment Reports 2008

Rural Low-Income Families: Tracking their Well-Being and Function in an Era of Welfare Reform

P.H. Dyk
Community and Leadership Development

 

Non-Technical Summary

In rural areas, family life is at the core of the rural community. The functioning of the family is important not only to the immediate family, but also to the well-being and viability of the rural community. Tracking changes in rural families across time is vital in the face of changing economic conditions and federal and state policies related to public assistance. The dearth of data on rural families' post-welfare-reform well-being continues with regard to food security and use of support systems. This project will add to the multidimensional understanding of rural low-income families over time.

Project Description

Throughout the duration of the project, Patricia Dyk and Leigh Ann Simmons have contributed to the development of quantitative and qualitative data sets compiled from the three waves of data collected from 471 interviews across 18 states including Kentucky. Data were centralized at Oregon State University and available to over 60 project team members.

Dyk's and Simmons' analyses have focused on the relationship of community context, social support, mental and physical health, food security, housing, unmet health care needs and the ability to maintain a job. Rural community context factors have demonstrated the impact of differential opportunity structures to the sustainability of labor force participation. Analyses investigated the impact of multiple factors (community opportunity structure, education, transportation, food security, caring for young children, physical and mental health challenges, and family's history of welfare receipt) and found these factors function differentially as barriers to sustained and cyclical employment.

In addition, findings continue to substantiate that in our sample of rural women, poor physical health, depression, food insecurity, difficulty paying for medical costs, and access to health care combine to reduce the quality of life of rural low-income women. Blue to You, A Woman's Depression Awareness Curriculum was developed by Dr. Simmons based on findings showing the high prevalence of depression among rural mothers and the need for intervention.

Additionally, research findings have been disseminated to federal policy makers through policy briefings and fact sheets; Extension agents through statewide webcasts; and to health and family professionals across the nation through presentations drawing from the Kentucky and full sample data at professional meetings (American Public Health Association, Rural Sociological Society, Southern Rural Sociological Society, National Council on Family Relations, National Priester Extension Health Conference, UK Poverty Research Center Small Grants Conference, Eastern Family Economics and Resource Management Association, International Women's Policy Research Conference, Welfare Research and Evaluation Conference.) The voices of the low-income rural women interviewed are being heard through materials posted on our project website, http://www.ruralfamilies.umn.edu.

Impact

As a result of project team work-groups we analyzed an extensive combined dataset to examine the interrelatedness of individual, family and place-based characteristics impact the quality of life of low-income rural families. The voices of the low-income rural women interviewed have been heard through research presentations at professional meetings, policy briefs that have been widely distributed at the state and federal level, and via our project website, http://www.ruralfamilies.umn.edu.

Awareness of the challenges faced, the strong ties of social support, and appropriate effective methods to disseminate information to this particular population have all been outcomes of our research.

Educational tools were also developed from findings from the NC223/1011 data. Blue to You, A Women's Depression Awareness Curriculum was developed by Dr. Leigh Ann Simmons for dissemination in Western Kentucky. Through this book, citizens are learning about the high prevalence of depression among rural mothers and important interventions. In addition, a social theater production, Livin' on the Byways, was presented as a plenary session at the 2007 National Council on Family Relations meeting where scholars and practitioners heard the stories of the low-income women, learned how to engage citizens in their communities in a Kettering-style deliberative process, and saw the opportunity to utilize the script in college classrooms. By understanding real vs. perceived needs, educational programs and policies can be developed and targeted to best utilize taxpayer investments in food stamps, welfare, and healthcare transfers - all big ticket items. These federal and state policies are essential to the well-being and quality of life of taxpayers and recipients alike.

Publications

Dyk, P. H. & Kropczynski, J. (2008) Kentucky rural low-income families speak about challenges to labor force participation, health, and food security. Fact Sheet. Available at http://www.ruralfamilies.umn.edu.

Huddleston-Casas, C. A., Charnigo, R., & Simmons, L. A. (2008, Sept 6). Household food insecurity and depression over time among rural, low-income women. Public Health Nutrition. E-pub ahead of print PMID: 18789167

Simmons, L. A., Anderson, E. A., & Braun, B. (2008). Health needs and health care utilization among rural, low-income women. Women & Health, 47(4), 53-69.

Simmons, L. A., Braun, B, Charnigo, R. C., Havens, J. R. & Wright, D. W. (2008). Depression and poverty among rural women: A relationship of social causation or social selection Journal of Rural Health, 24(3), 292-298.

Simmons, L. A., Huddleston-Casas, C. A., & Berry, A. A. (2007). Low-income rural women and depression: Factors associated with self-reporting. American Journal of Health Behavior, 31(6), 657-666.

Simmons, L.A. 2006. Health: an essential resource for rural, low-income mothers' economic self-sufficiency. http://fsos.che.umn.edu/img/assets/16501/March Health PolicyBrief.pdf

Simmons, L.A. (2006, March). Health: An essential resource for rural, low-income mothers' economic self-sufficiency. University of Minnesota, Breeze Live webcast. Available at http://fsos.che.umn.edu/img/assets/16501/March Health PolicyBrief.pdf

Simmons, L.A. (2006, March). Health: Essential to rural, low-income mothers' economic well-being. University of Minnesota, Breeze Live webcast. Available at http://fsos.che.umn.edu/img/assets/16501/March Health FactSheet.pdf

Simmons, L. A. (2006). Rural mothers physical and mental health. University of Minnesota, Breeze Live webcast. Available at http://fsos.che.umn.edu/projects/rfs/publications/breeze.html

Simmons, L.A., Dolan, E.M., & Braun, B. (2006, February). The state of rural women's economic & health status: KY, MD, NH.. In B.J. Cude (Ed.) Proceedings of the 33rd Conference for the EFERMA, 47-49.

Simmons-Wescott, L. A., & Braun, B. (2004, March). Depression: A deterrent to psychological well-being among poor, rural mothers. NCFR Report, 49, F5-F7.