In southeastern North Carolina, residents in Columbus County face some of the steepest challenges to living a healthy life. They consistently have the lowest health outcomes in the state.

Like in many rural communities, people have to put in more time and effort to access public services and healthcare systems. And a lack of access and familiarity informs how much people trust the systems meant to serve them.

In this episode, we look at what builds trust in the systems people rely on to stay healthy — and what gets in the way.

Guests: 

Jason Elleby, mayor of the Town of Brunswick, NC

Helen Holden, owner of Penn’s Grill in Whiteville, NC

Read more about how to talk about health, trust, and rural communities:

Talking about Health Disparities in Rural Contexts by the FrameWorks Institute explores how access, systems design, and community conditions shape health—and how to communicate these issues in ways that build understanding and support for solutions.