Oklahoma

Oklahoma has a rich and interesting history. Fifty languages are spoken in the state of Oklahoma. There are 55 distinct Indian tribes that make the state their home, and each of these tribes has its own language or dialect. Oklahoma covers 68,667 square miles, with a 2015 estimated population of 3,911,338 people – 1,350,479 living in rural Oklahoma (USDA-ERS). Oklahoma City, the capital, is the largest city and is located in the center of the state. The state’s other large cities include: Tulsa, Norman and Lawton. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 74.8% of the state’s population is white, 9.1% is American Indian & Alaska Native, 7.8% Black/African American, 2.2% Asian, and 10.1% is of Hispanic/Latino origin (U.S. Census, 2015).

Oklahoma Rural Healthcare Facilities

There are 114 hospitals in Oklahoma (Kaiser, 2014). The state has 34 hospitals identified as Critical Access Hospitals (Flex Team, 12/2015). There are 51 Rural Health Clinics in Oklahoma (CMS, 2015) and 19 Federally Qualified Health Centers provide services at 76 sites in the state (NACHC, 2014).

Selected Social Determinants of Health for Rural Oklahoma

Most Oklahomans have some form of health insurance coverage, although 16% of its residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2014). According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per-capita income for Oklahomans in 2014 was $43,637, although rural per-capita income lagged at $37,658. The ERS reports, based on 2010-2014 ACS data, that the poverty rate in rural Oklahoma is 18.9%, compared with 15.8% in urban areas of the state. 15.4% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 12.2% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma according to 2010-2014 ACS data reported by ERS. The unemployment rate in rural Oklahoma is at 4.7%, while in urban Oklahoma it is at 4.0% (USDA-ERS, 2015).

Data Sources
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Rural Health Clinic List; Flex Monitoring Team: Critical Access Hospital List; Kaiser Family Foundation State Health Facts; National Association of Community Health Centers: Key Health Center Data By State; U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts; USDA Economic Research Service: State Fact Sheets

Contacts

There are more organizations related to Oklahoma in the organizations section.