Application of a gender-based approach to conducting a community health assessment for rural women in Southern Illinois

•We describe a gender-based community health assessment in a rural community.•Gender-based assessments can be used to identify and understand women's health needs.•Gender-specific factors may affect health and health behaviors in rural women.

Rural populations in the United States experience unique challenges in health and health care. The health of rural women, in particular, is influenced by their knowledge, work and family commitments, as well as environmental barriers in their communities. In rural southern Illinois, the seven southernmost counties form a region that experiences high rates of cancer and other chronic diseases. To identify, understand, and prioritize the health needs of women living in these seven counties, a comprehensive gender-based community health assessment was conducted with the goal of developing a plan to improve women's health in the region. A gender-analysis framework was adapted, and key stakeholder interviews and focus groups with community women were conducted and analyzed to identify factors affecting ill health. The gender-based analysis revealed that women play a critical role in the health of their families and their communities, and these roles can influence their personal health. The gender-based analysis also identified several gender-specific barriers and facilitators that affect women's health and their ability to engage in healthy behaviors. These results have important implications for the development of programs and policies to improve health among rural women.