The Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan includes six rural counties and one Tribal Nation. The region is characterized by long winters, legacies of the extractive mining economy, and the infrastructural features of extreme rurality, including aging housing and low health service density. The region also faces exceptionally high electricity prices. There is limited research on the public health implications of energy service disruption in rural regions resulting from the increasing intensity and frequency of weather events caused by climate change. This article presents research findings examining the readiness of health facilities in this area to manage the rising intensity, severity, and frequency of severe weather that could disrupt energy services. The study also considers how this knowledge can guide decision‐making to improve energy service access and maintain resilient public health services in the region. This exploratory study utilized a qualitative approach that combines semi‐structured interviews with public health stakeholders and a short survey to triangulate the findings from health facilities. Given the pivotal role of dependable energy services in community health, these findings underscore the community's perception of self‐reliance as both an asset and a hurdle. This perception aligns with the realities of rural communities at the “end of the line” regarding critical infrastructure, which also serves as a formidable barrier to social organization and infrastructure access during energy service disruptions that can severely impact public health.

中文翻译：

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公共卫生弹性的能源服务安全：密歇根州西部上半岛的看法和担忧☆


密歇根州的上西部半岛包括六个农村县和一个部落民族。该地区的特点是冬季漫长，是采掘业采矿经济的遗留问题，以及极端农村的基础设施特征，包括老化的住房和低卫生服务密度。该地区还面临着异常高的电价。由于气候变化引起的天气事件的强度和频率不断增加，关于农村地区能源服务中断对公共卫生的影响的研究有限。本文介绍了研究结果，研究了该领域的卫生设施为应对可能中断能源服务的恶劣天气的强度、严重性和频率的准备情况。该研究还考虑了这些知识如何指导决策，以改善该地区的能源服务获取并维持有弹性的公共卫生服务。这项探索性研究采用了一种定性方法，该方法结合了与公共卫生利益相关者的半结构化访谈和一项简短的调查，以对卫生机构的调查结果进行三角测量。鉴于可靠的能源服务在社区健康中的关键作用，这些发现强调了社区将自力更生视为一种资产和障碍的看法。这种看法与处于“终点”的农村社区在关键基础设施方面的现实是一致的，在能源服务中断期间，这些基础设施也是社会组织和基础设施访问的巨大障碍，可能会严重影响公众健康。