According to the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), an estimated 797,000 adult Arkansans have prediabetes. They are at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. In Arkansas’ more rural counties, it can be challenging for families to access healthy foods consistently. The only grocery stores close to them often sell cheap, processed foods. Healthier options are more costly and farther away. An unhealthy diet combined with poor physical activity can lead to Type 2 diabetes. However, Arkansas health care professionals can take steps to encourage patients to prevent and treat diabetes.

In 2021, Newport, Arkansas, in Jackson County earned a title many others would prefer not to have: Most Diabetic Place in America. When I first read this title, I thought it may have been clickbait. I can believe that an entire state would be the most diabetic place in America, but a single county within a state just didn’t seem true.

But it is.

Quitting smoking is one of the most important decisions a person can make for their health. A strong support system and a positive mindset, even in the midst of failure, are essential to successfully quitting. When providers go out of their way to recommend resources and be a part of the patient’s journey to quit smoking, research shows the patient is more likely to stay off nicotine once they quit. The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have excellent resources providers can use to give patients extra support on their way to quitting.

Social determinants of health (SDOH) correlate directly with an individual's overall health. Primary care providers (PCPs) and hospitals help patients meet their basic health care needs, but what if a patient has other needs beyond health care, like homelessness? Luckily, there are interventions and strategies health care providers and hospitals can use to direct patients to the proper services to meet their social needs.

The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) has set aside the third Thursday of every November to celebrate National Rural Health Day (NRHD). NRHD showcases the efforts of health care organizations like AFMC, which are devoted to addressing Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and the unique challenges rural citizens face. This blog discusses the importance of supporting our rural communities and ways providers and community members can celebrate NRHD.

While cancer affects people of various ages, races, ethnicities and sexes, it does not affect them equally. Differences in genetics, hormones, environmental exposures (social determinants of health), and many other factors can lead to differences in risk and death rates among various populations. The most common risks for breast cancer are being a woman and getting older. However, there are racial or ethnic factors that could also put some women at greater risk than others.