SAES-422 Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report

Sections

Status: Approved

Basic Information

Participants

State representatives present: Barbara Ames (MI); Don Arwood (SD); Jean Bauer (MN); Bonnie Braun (MD); Caroline Crocoll (CSREES representative); Susan Churchill (NE); Elizabeth Dolan (NH); Robin Douthitt (administrative advisor, WS); Tricia Dyk (KY); Steve Garasky (IA); Frances Lawrence (LA); Sheila Mammen (MA); Margaret Manoogian (WV); Christine Olson (NY) ; Leslie Richards (OR); Sharon Seiling (OH); Karen Varcoe (CA);; Other persons present: Ann Berry (TN); Carolyn Bird (NC); Laurie Bullock (MI); Michael Comasso (NJ); Kim Greder (IA); Cathey Huddleston-Casas (NE); Suzann Knight (NH); Jess Kropczynski (KY); Kathy Reschke (OH); Yoshie Sano (WA); Leigh Ann Simmons (KY); Kay Stafford (OH); Sandy Stroot (OH); Josephine Swanson (NY); Lori Yancura (HI)

Brief Summary: The Annual Meeting focused on a review of accomplishments from the working groups and plans for ongoing research and for a new multistate project. Work towards Objectives: NRI Update: The NRI grant has ended (no cost extension ended 8/31/07). A report from the project has been generated and distributed to all states. Participants are encouraged to send copies to their Deans and Experiment Station directors. The website and ftp site will continue to be maintained by Minnesota. Everyone is reminded to submit their abstracts so that others can cite their work. Working Groups: A group is working on a new multi-state proposal focusing on rural health outcomes. It will continue the next logical steps from the current group. The other working groups reported on their accomplishments over the life of the project and suggested some directions for future research. Nominations and elections: Josephine Swanson, Vice Chair for Dissemination, Communications and Susan Churchill, Secretary agreed to serve another year in their positions. There were no nominations from the floor. Voting was conducted and both were elected unanimously. Future Work: Working groups are encouraged to continue publishing and using the data strategically. The list of projects proposed during the meeting will be sent to the group soon.

Accomplishments

Outcomes discovered from research: Maternal life skills in rural families have a positive impact on perceptions of mothers parenting confidence and this relationship also indirectly impacted childrens behavior. Marriage was not a contributing factor to increasing economic well-being; the key variables were maternal education, employment status, and weekly work hours. Latino immigrant families often lived in sub- standard conditions and sought support from kin; evidence suggests that families who seek help from these informal sources are less likely to be able to meet their basic needs. Latino immigrant families present unique challenges and require special accommodations such as raising awareness of available public services, and help overcoming language barriers. Outcomes are enhanced when practitioners have a respect and understanding of ethnic minority families, especially when providing services. Results from research have been integrated into community and development programming for rural communities. Health has been identified as an important venue for enhancing community economic development. Few rural mothers who were receiving TANF in Wave 1 were off TANF with sufficient income to support the family by Wave 3. Extended family was critical for the mothers to do as well as they did. The rural mothers who were able to earn more than 150% of poverty in Wave 3 had training or education that enabled them to find jobs with reasonable wages. Majority of rural mothers wanted to increase involvement of non-resident fathers in their childrens lives. Mothers experienced both frustration and distrust toward non-resident fathers who were perceived as not fulfilling their expected parental roles.

Impacts

  1. Related findings from studies conducted on rural womens health will be relayed on a womens health blog (http://womenshealthmatters.blogspot.com) in order to make important information available to the public.
  2. Researchers in both Kentucky and Ohio have issued stories to the news media that have focused on the results from this project and provided information to the general community.
  3. Several researchers have disseminated data from this project through their states Cooperative Extension Service.
  4. Several researchers have disseminated data from this project through their states Cooperative Extension Service.
  5. In Maryland, additional programs have been put into place to help provide funding for low-income families to purchase their prescription drugs as well as gain access to affordable, quality health care, an outcome of the research findings of this study.
  6. Also in Maryland, legislation has also been put into place to help provide services to improve the oral health of low-income individuals, based on the findings of this project.
  7. The findings related to food insecurity study are being used to modify Marylands Food Stamp Nutrition Education program. More studies are underway to help improve this service as well as increase the amount of food available to low-income, inner-city children. In Ohio, findings are used to inform and support the Food Stamp Nutrition Program. In Oregon, the findings have led to the development of community gardens, and work with community leaders and faith-based organizations to address community food security issues, especially among the immigrant population.
  8. Both New Hampshire and Maryland researchers have been granted funds through the Annie E. Casey Foundation to expand work initiated through the findings of this project. In Maryland, the grant is for strengthening rural, low-income families health and financial self-sufficiency. In New Hampshire, the grant is used to expand awareness and use of the Earned Income Tax Credit throughout the state, with special emphasis on rural areas as a direct result of findings from this project. This project partners more than a dozen state and local agencies to engage in the informational and assistance campaign.
  9. Iowa and Michigan researchers are using the data regarding migrant workers to inform policy makers and service providers of the needs of the Hispanic/Latino community.

Publications

Bauer, J.W., & Katras, M.J. (2007, August). Rural Prosperity: A Longitudinal Study of Rural Communities and Rural Low-Income Families. Available at: http://fsos.cehd.umn.edu/img/assets/16501/NRICGP%20Final%20Report.pdf Bove, C. F. & Olson, C. M. (2006). Obesity in low-income rural women: Qualitative insights about physical activity and eating patterns. Women & Health, 44 (1), 57-78. Churchill, S.L., Plano Clark, V., Prochaska-Cue, K., & Creswell, J. (2007). Family fun as reported by rural low-income women. Journal of Leisure Research, 39 (2), 271-294. Cook, C. C., Greder, K. A., Garasky, S., & Randall, B. (October). Housing hardship and food insecurity: Understanding the circumstances of rural Latinos. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Housing Education and Research Association, Ithaca, NY. Dyk. P.H., Bauer, J.W., & Katras, M.J. (2006). Rural Contexts, Opportunities and Responses: Vulnerable Families Realities for Labor Force Participation. Proceedings of the 2006 Annual Meeting of the Rural Sociological Society. Louisville, KY. Greder, K., Cook, C. C., Garasky, S., & Ortiz, L. Latino Immigrants: Food and Housing Security. Ames, IA: Extension Policy Brief SP 305. Kelly, E.B. (2007). The Work of Coordinating Child Care for Rural Low-Income Mothers. Pp. 101-119 in Child Poverty in America Today, vol. 1: Families and Children, edited by Barbara A. Arrighi and David J. Maume. Westport: Praeger. Olson, C. M., Bove, C. F. & Miller, E.O. (2007). Growing up poor: Long-term implications for eating patterns and body weight. Appetite, 49, 198-207. Plumb, J. & Braun, B. (2007). Rural low income womens struggles and strength: A call to change. Undergraduate Research Journal for the Human Sciences, 6. Available at: http://www.kon.org/urc/v6/plumb.html Seiling, S., Manoogian, M., Richards, L., & Bird, C. (2007, June). Relationships and Resource Sharing: Adult Daughters and their Mothers in Rural, Low-income Families. Proceedings of the Extended and Extending Families Conference at the University of Edinburgh, June 27-29, 2007. Conference CD, Session 5. Simmons, L.A., Dolan, E. & Braun, B. (2007). Rhetoric and reality of economic self-sufficiency among rural, low-income families: A longitudinal study. Journal of Family Economic Issues, 28. 485-505. 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. Simson, E. & Braun, B. (2007) Oral health among rural, low-income families: Implications for policy and program. Available at: http://www.hhp.umd.edu/FMST/_docsContribute/OralHealthAmongRuralLow-IncomeFamilies2-7-07.pdf Varcoe, K., Pong, H., & Ontai, L. Life Skills as a Resiliency Factor for Parenting in Low-Income Rural Families. Improving Consumer SkillsImproving Consumer Choice: Proceedings 3rd International Consumer Sciences Research Conference, vol. 3, p. 91. Theses & Dissertations Petrovic, L.E. Health and the Persistence of Food Insecurity in Rural New York Families. DNS Honors Thesis, May 2007. (Cornell University) Wasberg, C. K. (2007). Structural Constraints and Obstacles: A Rational Choice and Open Systems Approach to Rural Poverty and Making Ends Meet. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Brookings, SD: South Dakota State University.
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