Effects of residence and race on burden of travel for care: cross sectional analysis of the 2001 US National Household Travel Survey

Abstract

Background: Travel burden is a key element in conceptualizing geographic access to health care. Prior research has shown that both rural and minority populations bear disproportionate travel burdens. However, many studies are limited to specific types of patient or specific locales. The purpose of our study was to quantify geographic and race-based differences in distance traveled and time spent in travel for medical/dental care using representative national data.

The association between geographical factors and dental caries in a rural area in Mexico

“…Easier access due to shorter distances, decreased travel time 25 , and less changes in altitude (i.e. : less steep roads) could theoretically facilitate access to dental services.…”

Explaining rural/non-rural disparities in physical health-related quality of life: a study of United Methodist clergy in North Carolina

“…Explanations of this type often focus on limited availability of resources in rural areas (e.g. healthcare access, home care services) [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. Contextual explanations logically suggest that rural living should have negative effects on the HRQL of rural residents regardless of their prior health or cultural orientation.…”

Impact of Patient Race on Patient Experiences of Access and Communication in HIV Care

“…These findings are consistent with prior research in non-HIV-infected minority populations suggesting that observed disparities in access to care may be more due to site-level or community effects (i.e., the local environment of a given HIV care site that affects access for all patients) than race, per se. In a nationally representative household survey conducted by the Department of Transportation, blacks spent a mean of 29 minutes traveling to their medical provider compared with 21 minutes for whites, though geographic distances to providers were comparable 12 . In analysis of care of black and white…”

“…Hypotheses to explain observed disparities in general medical populations include differences in geographic and organizational factors [9][10][11][12] and patient-provider interactions. Blacks tend to receive care from sites that have less access to clinical resources 9 , have longer travel times to reach their primary care providers 12 , and are less likely to receive continuity of care from the same provider compared with whites 1 . Overall, nonwhite patients are more likely to perceive bias in care than are whites 13 .…”