Jacob C. Warren, PhD. is Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at Georgia Southern University, Epidemiology Program Coordinator for the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University, USA, and Co-Director of the Rural Health Research Alliance, a cross-college research collaborative focusing on mental and physical health in rural areas. He has been PI and Co-Investigator of numerous federally funded research and service grants, and has presented his research at several national and international conferences. Dr. Warren has published in such journals as Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Journal of Ethnicity and Substance Abuse, Pan American Journal of Public Health, AIDS and Behavior, and AIDS Education and Prevention. He won the 2010 Award for Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring. Both he and Dr. Smalley currently hold federal funding through the Health Resources and Services Administration for innovative approaches to health screening and education in rural areas.K. Bryant Smalley, PsyD, is the Associate Director of Clinical Training for the PsyD program at Georgia Southern University, USA, and co-directs the Rural Health Research Alliance, a cross-college research collaborative focusing on mental and physical health in rural areas. He is a clinical psychologist with both training and practice experience in rural areas. His work has included practicing in university counselling centres, rural community mental health centres, and rural private practice. His research has appeared in numerous journals and texts, including Psychology of Men and Masculinity, The International Journal of Men's Health, and Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session.

INTRODUCTION

This comprehensive text about the issues of rural public health is the only book to focus on rural health from the perspectives of public health and prevention. It covers specific diseases and disorders faced by rural populations, service delivery challenges, practitioner shortfalls in rural areas, and promising community health approaches and preventive measures. The text also addresses rural health care ethics and international perspectives.