In rural America, scarce doctors battle misinformation as they practice medicine
toggle caption Charles Paajoe Tetteh for NPR
When Dr. Banu Symington first moved to Rock Springs, Wyo., 30 years ago, she appreciated its empty desert landscapes and small-town respect for physicians like herself.
Fast-forward to today.
Some of Symington's cancer patients curse at her for suggesting they vaccinate or wear masks to protect their weakened immune systems while undergoing chemotherapy.
"I actually had a patient's husband say, 'You only want me to mask because you're a liberal bitch.'"
Symington is among many doctors who say political attacks on science and medicine are affecting their relationships with patients, particularly in rural communities, where physician recruitment already poses a chronic challenge. Increasingly, misinformation and conspiracy theories about health fill a vacuum created by the lack of doctors, adding challenges to care. Meanwhile, the Trump administration's dramatic changes to health, science, public health and immigration policies are making recruitment of overseas talent tougher.
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