Rural communities in the Caucasus are not free from health problems. Women in general are more prone in developing a variety of health problems compared to men. What is the overall status of women’s health in rural communities and what are the actions that need to be done in order to help improve them?

It should be noted that health care is less accessible in most rural communities found today. As a result, rural women suffer poorer health outcomes when compared to urban women. The reason behind this is due to the fact that health care providers are very much limited in rural areas and as such, women in rural communities find it time consuming and troublesome to pursue proper health care.

Caucasus is rich in history and culture with that being said, due to its geographical location, access to health care for rural residents can be a bit complicated. As such, most rural residents in Caucasus are often lacking in the health insurance aspect. In addition, in order to receive the much needed care and assistance, they are required to travel longer distances just to access a variety of medical, dental as well as mental health specialty services.

Among the limited health services in rural communities include obstetric as well as gynecologic. The same can also be said with regards to family planning having little to no to access with regards to contraception. In a perfect world, residents will be able to have complete access to primary care, dental, behavioral health, emergency, and public health services and have them within their reach in a timely and convenient manner. However, such is not the case particularly in Caucasus.

As mentioned earlier, people in living in rural areas will need to travel long distances just to have access to healthcare services. Many find this to be quite a burden especially with regards to both their time and resources. Furthermore, one hurdle that they need to overcome is access to a reliable transportation.

Rural areas don’t have the pleasantry to provide public transit for patients just to get to medical appointments. As such, it is quite a struggle reaching your appointments and schedule on time. In addition, elderly residents living in rural communities who have chronic conditions will require visits to outpatient healthcare facilities on a repeated basis. As a result, they may need to find a reliable means of transportation and sometimes are left with no other option but to move out of their community and find temporary refuge in the city.

Health literacy plays a very integral part in improving the quality of life in rural communities of the Caucasus. It is important to help women understand basic health information which includes managing a chronic illness, or taking medication properly. Literacy programs go a long way in helping rural communities be up to date with the latest innovation and trends in the health industry and people are encourage to support such endeavors to keep them going.