Abstract

The interactions between physical health conditions and mental health of rural women, as a matter of wellness, have not been well studied. The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the relationship among physical health issues, positive self-report screens for depression and anxiety, locus of control, and other demographic factors. A secondary focus was to identify the primary locus of control among rural women and the percentage of women affected by mental health conditions. The convenience sample included fifty female patients between the ages of eighteen and sixty-four who received services from a Federally Qualified Health Center in a Midwestern United States community. Data collection included age, ethnicity, marital status, employment status, health-insurance status, household income, physical health conditions (arthritis, diabetes, female problems, heart disease, hypertension, obesity, pain, and substance abuse), body mass index, and scores on mental health screening instruments (Patient Health Questionnaire-9, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, General Self Efficacy Scale, and Locus of Control). Data were analyzed using T-tests and correlations analysis to determine relationships between the named variables. Significant impact on wellness was found in all areas (physical health conditions, mental health conditions, locus of control, and demographic characteristics). Locus of control was primarily internal. Depression and/or anxiety symptoms were indicated in the majority of the participants.