Missouri Rural Health Association sheds light on staggering inequities rural Veterans face

During National Salute to Veteran Patients Week, the Missouri Rural Health Association (MRHA) is releasing new research that shines a stark light on the health inequities facing Missouri's rural veterans and calls for urgent action to better serve those who have served our country.

 

The paper, Beyond the Battlefield: Restoring Connection for Missouri's Rural Veterans, draws from findings in MRHA's upcoming 2026 Rural Health Needs Assessment and reveals alarming disparities in health access, outcomes, and supports for veterans living in rural Missouri. The research shows that Missouri veterans experience suicide rates 74% higher than their civilian counterparts and 23% higher than veterans nationwide, underscoring the compounding effects of isolation, limited access to care, and unmet service-related health needs.

 

"Our research makes it clear that too many rural veterans in Missouri are falling through the cracks of our health care and support systems," said Heidi Lucas, Executive Director of the Missouri Rural Health Association. "These disparities are not inevitable, they are the result of gaps in access, infrastructure, and support that we have both the power and the responsibility to close."

 

The paper identifies several key challenges facing rural veterans, including:

- 85% of rural veterans lacking access to dental care

- More than 60% of rural veterans live with a service related injury

- Disability due to service related injury has doubled from 2008 to 2022

 

National Salute to Veteran Patients Week recognizes veterans receiving care in VA and community health settings and highlights the importance of supporting their health and well-being. MRHA's research reinforces the need for targeted investments in rural health infrastructure, mental health services, workforce capacity, and coordinated care models that reflect the lived realities of rural veterans.

 

"Rural veterans often face longer travel distances, fewer providers, and limited specialty care, all while managing complex physical and mental health needs," Lucas added. "If we are serious about honoring their service, we must be equally serious about building systems that meet them where they are."

 

The full paper, Beyond the Battlefield: Restoring Connection for Missouri's Rural Veterans, is available at: https://mrhassociation.org/research

 

The Missouri Rural Health Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to safeguarding and improving the health of rural Missourians through advocacy, collaboration, and education.