Intersection of Living in a Rural Versus Urban Area and Race/Ethnicity in Explaining Access to Health Care in the United States

Bibliographic Data

ID11039620
AuthorsJulia T Caldwell (At the time of study, Julia T. Caldwell was first with the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Fielding School of Public Health, and then with the Section of Hospital Medicine at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Chandra L. Ford, Steven P. Wallace, and May C. Wang were with the Department of Community Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Lois M. Takahashi was with the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.), Chandra L Ford (0000-0001-7684-1840, At the time of study, Julia T. Caldwell was first with the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Fielding School of Public Health, and then with the Section of Hospital Medicine at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Chandra L. Ford, Steven P. Wallace, and May C. Wang were with the Department of Community Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Lois M. Takahashi was with the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.), Steven P Wallace (0000-0002-9476-3900, At the time of study, Julia T. Caldwell was first with the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Fielding School of Public Health, and then with the Section of Hospital Medicine at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Chandra L. Ford, Steven P. Wallace, and May C. Wang were with the Department of Community Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Lois M. Takahashi was with the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.), May C Wang (0000-0002-8682-9789, At the time of study, Julia T. Caldwell was first with the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Fielding School of Public Health, and then with the Section of Hospital Medicine at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Chandra L. Ford, Steven P. Wallace, and May C. Wang were with the Department of Community Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Lois M. Takahashi was with the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.), L Takahashi (0000-0001-5974-3456, At the time of study, Julia T. Caldwell was first with the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Fielding School of Public Health, and then with the Section of Hospital Medicine at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Chandra L. Ford, Steven P. Wallace, and May C. Wang were with the Department of Community Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Lois M. Takahashi was with the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.), Lois M Takahashi
Year2016
Volume106
Issue8
Pages1463-1469
Publication date2016-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2016.303212
PMID27310341
OpenAlexW2443964634
LanguageEN
Citations received74
References cited28

Objectives. To examine whether living in a rural versus urban area differentially exposes populations to social conditions associated with disparities in access to health care. Methods. We linked Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2005–2010) data to geographic data from the American Community Survey (2005–2009) and Area Health Resource File (2010). We categorized census tracts as rural and urban by using the Rural–Urban Commuting Area Codes. Respondent sample sizes ranged from 49 839 to 105 306. Outcomes were access to a usual source of health care, cholesterol screening, cervical screening, dental visit within recommended intervals, and health care needs met. Results. African Americans in rural areas had lower odds of cholesterol screening (odds ratio[OR] = 0.37; 95% confidence interval[CI] = 0.25, 0.57) and cervical screening (OR = 0.48; 95% CI = 0.29, 0.80) than African Americans in urban areas. Whites had fewer screenings and dental visits in rural versus urban areas. There were mixed results for which racial/ethnic group had better access. Conclusions. Rural status confers additional disadvantage for most of the health care use measures, independently of poverty and health care supply

American Community Survey · Census · Confidence interval · Economic growth · Environmental health · Ethnic group · Health care · Health equity · Health insurance · Logistic regression · Medical Expenditure Panel Survey · Odds · Odds ratio · Population · Poverty · Public health · Respondent · Rural area · Demography · Dental Health and Care Utilization · Global Health Workforce Issues · Health disparities and outcomes · Medicine · Nursing · Gerontology

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Open DOISci-HubOpen Access