Spirituality and Wellness

2019 Rural Pulse™ Snapshot: Spirituality and Wellness

Rural Pulse™ is a research study commissioned by the Grand Rapids-based Blandin Foundation to gain a real-time snapshot of the concerns, perceptions and priorities of rural Minnesota residents. It includes comparative findings from urban Minnesotans and identifies trends within significant, complex subject areas including the economy, education, employment and quality of life. Results are also analyzed as they relate to nine separate but inter-related dimensions of  a community’s health: life-long learning, inclusion, recreational and artistic opportunities, environmental stewardship, infrastructure and services, safety and security, community leadership, economic opportunity, spirituality and wellness.

Spirituality and Wellness is…

One of the Nine Dimensions of a Healthy Community, spirituality and wellness is defined as: recognizing that a person and community does best when they are sound in body, healthy in mind, and grounded in values that direct their lives.

____

Healthcare Services

Four in five (79%) rural Minnesotans believed that their community provides adequate healthcare services to residents, while only 17 percent did not feel that this is the case, similar results to 2016 rural study findings. Urban and home area responses were comparable.

Residents in the Southwest, West Central and Central regions held the highest agreement that healthcare offered in their community

is adequate. Those in the Northeast, Southeast and West Central regions showed a decline in satisfaction with healthcare services since 2016 survey findings.

Seven in 10 (70%) rural Minnesotans with a cultural/racial background felt that their community provides adequate healthcare services to residents, while 24 percent did not feel that this is the case.

New to this year’s Rural Pulse survey was asking Minnesotans how well they feel their local community addresses mental health issues, including suicide prevention. Sixty-five percent of rural Minnesotans, and 68 percent of home area respondents, believed that their community effectively provides for mental health needs, while a quarter did not feel that this is the case. Urban responses were even less confident (58%).

Residents in the Southwest and Central regions held the highest agreement that mental health is adequately being addressed. Those in the Northwest region were least likely to agree.

About two-thirds (68%) of Foundation home area residents felt that their local communities are sufficiently addressing mental health issues.

Community is Doing a Good Job Addressing Mental Health Issues

Six in 10 individuals within the cultural/racial study – and 67 percent of Whites – felt that their community effectively provides for mental health needs, while 31 percent did not feel that this is the case. Another 10 percent were unsure.

Also new to 2019, Minnesotans were asked if they feel their community adequately addresses opioids and drug abuse. Six in 10 (61%) rural Minnesotans believed that their community is doing so, while a strong 27 percent did not agree. Urban and home area responses were comparable.

Residents in the Southeast, Southwest and Central regions held the highest agreement that the drug crisis is being addressed in their community. Those in the Northeast were much less likely agree.

Only 54 percent of cultural/racial residents believed that their community is addressing opioids and drug abuse. Thirty-eight percent did not agree.

About Rural Pulse

Rural Pulse™ is a research study commissioned by Blandin Foundation to gain a real-time snapshot of the concerns, perceptions and priorities of rural Minnesota residents. It has been conducted periodically since 1998, and was last conducted in 2016. It includes comparative findings from urban Minnesotans, and identifies trends within significant, complex subject areas including the economy, education, employment and quality of life. For this study, 1,068 telephone interviews were conducted with rural Minnesotans. View the full report at www.RuralPulse.org.