Catalyst Health Equity Practice Award

Calaveras has deepened its understanding of a silent “rural morbidity penalty”, defined as the true morbidity in a rural population with more health disparities than their urban counterpart, even when controlling for education, income, poverty and race. While limited resources, higher margins of error, and limited access to skilled health professionals to analyze the data present challenges, Calaveras utilized an Oral Health Needs Assessment focused on high poverty, rural areas in creative ways.