Whiteness: A Fundamental Determinant of the Health of Rural White Americans.

This article focuses on the health disparities experienced by rural White Americans in the United States, emphasizing how Whiteness—a racialized system conferring social advantage—functions as a fundamental determinant of their health. Rural White Americans, who constitute approximately 76% of rural residents, face unique structural, cultural, and psychosocial factors that contribute to poorer health outcomes, including higher rates of chronic disease, mental health challenges, and mortality compared to both nonrural White populations and racially minoritized rural groups. The authors propose a conceptual framework integrating Whiteness and rurality to better understand intermediate factors (such as rural culture and environment) and intrapersonal factors (such as stress related to perceived status threat) that adversely affect this population's health. They highlight the need for research that considers the intersection of race, rurality, socioeconomic position, and other identities to inform culturally appropriate health policies and interventions aimed at improving rural White Americans' well-being.