Medical desert is a term used to describe regions whose population has inadequate access to healthcare.[1] The term can be applied whether the lack of healthcare is general or in a specific field, such as dental or pharmaceutical.[2] It is primarily used to describe rural areas although it is sometimes applied to urban areas as well.[2] The term is inspired by the analogous concept of a food desert.[1]
An estimated 30 million Americans, many in rural regions of the country, live at least 60 minutes drive from a hospital with trauma care services.[3] Limited access to emergency room services, as well as medical specialists, leads to increases in mortality rates and long-term health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes.[4][5] Medicare, Medicaid, and uninsured patients are less likely than others to live within an hour's drive of a hospital emergency room.[3]
Since 1975, over 1,000 hospitals, many in rural regions, have closed their doors because they are unable to bear the cost of care of uninsured patients.[6] That has required some patients in every state to drive at least an hour to a hospital emergency room. The problem poses an even greater danger during the COVID-19 pandemic, when patients in respiratory distress urgently need oxygen[7] and can ill afford an hour-long ambulance ride to reach a hospital. In addition to the immediate financial problems facing rural healthcare providers, inequities in rural healthcare are further aggravated by the disproportionately low number of newly-graduated doctors applying for positions in rural areas.
Although concentrated in rural regions, health care deserts also exist in urban and suburban areas, particularly in Black-majority census tracts in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City.[8] Medical literature addressing health disparities in urban centers has applied the term medical desert to areas that are more than five miles from the nearest acute care facility.[8] Racial demographic disparities in healthcare access are also present in rural areas, particularly with Native Americans living in rural areas receiving inadequate medical care.[9][10]
Pharmacy deserts have developed in some urban areas,[11][12] a situation that has increased the challenge of distributing and administering vaccines for the COVID-19 pandemic.[13][14][15]
^ abChevillard, Guillaume; Lucas-Gabrielli, Véronique; Mousquès, Julien (2018). Dill, Lan (ed.). "Medical deserts in France: Current state of research and future trends". L'Espace Géographique. 47: 362–380. doi:10.3917/eg.474.0362. S2CID 165353742 – via CAIRN.
^ abGarcia, Estevan (2018-09-01). "THE URBAN FOOD DESERT AS A MODEL FOR THE URBAN HEALTH CARE DESERT: FUNDAMENTAL CAUSES AND ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS". Dissertations and Theses.
^ abCarr, Brendan; Bowman, Ariel; Wolff, Catherine; Mullen, Michael T.; Holena, Daniel; Branas, Charles C.; Wiebe, Douglas (2017). "Disparities in Access to Trauma Care in the United States: A Population-Based Analysis". Injury. 48 (2): 332–338. doi:10.1016/j.injury.2017.01.008. ISSN 0020-1383. PMC5292279. PMID 28069138.
^"Poor Access to a Trauma Center Linked to Higher Prehospital Death Rates in More Than Half of U.S. States". American College of Surgeons. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
^"About Rural Health Care - NRHA". www.ruralhealthweb.org. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
^"Hospital Closings Likely to Increase". Official web site of the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration. 2017-10-16. Retrieved 2020-04-25.
^"Neighborhoods With 'Medical Deserts' Have Emergency Needs During COVID Pandemic". The Baltimore Times, Inc. Positive Stories. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
^ abTung, Elizabeth L.; Hampton, David A.; Kolak, Marynia; Rogers, Selwyn O.; Yang, Joyce P.; Peek, Monica E. (2019-03-01). "Race/Ethnicity and Geographic Access to Urban Trauma Care". JAMA Network Open. 2 (3): e190138. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.0138. PMC6484639. PMID 30848804.
^Friedman, Misha (13 April 2016). "For Native Americans, Health Care Is A Long, Hard Road Away". NPR.org. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
^"Why Care at Native American Hospitals Is Often Substandard". The New York Times. Associated Press. 2016-10-08. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
^Olumhense, Ese; Husain, Nausheen (2018-01-22). "'Pharmacy deserts' a growing health concern in Chicago, experts, residents say". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
^Kingson, Jennifer A. (2021-01-07). ""Pharmacy deserts" are becoming a bigger problem in low-income neighborhoods". Axios. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
^Marsh, Tori (2021-01-14). "'Vaccine Deserts' Threaten to Prolong COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout - GoodRx". GoodRx. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
^Adams, Biba (2020-12-25). "Pharmacy deserts expose racial and socioeconomic gap in vaccine access". TheGrio. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
^Terry Ellis, Nicquel; Meyersohn, Nathaniel; Jimenez, Omar (2020-12-24). "Their communities are deserted by pharmacies. Advocates fear this will lead to inequitable vaccine access". CNN. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
April 13, 2024
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Medical desert is a term used to describe regions whose population has inadequate access to healthcare 1 The term can be applied whether the lack of healthcare is general or in a specific field such as dental or pharmaceutical 2 It is primarily used to describe rural areas although it is sometimes applied to urban areas as well 2 The term is inspired by the analogous concept of a food desert 1 United States editMain article Medical deserts in the United States An estimated 30 million Americans many in rural regions of the country live at least 60 minutes drive from a hospital with trauma care services 3 Limited access to emergency room services as well as medical specialists leads to increases in mortality rates and long term health problems such as heart disease and diabetes 4 5 Medicare Medicaid and uninsured patients are less likely than others to live within an hour s drive of a hospital emergency room 3 Since 1975 over 1 000 hospitals many in rural regions have closed their doors because they are unable to bear the cost of care of uninsured patients 6 That has required some patients in every state to drive at least an hour to a hospital emergency room The problem poses an even greater danger during the COVID 19 pandemic when patients in respiratory distress urgently need oxygen 7 and can ill afford an hour long ambulance ride to reach a hospital In addition to the immediate financial problems facing rural healthcare providers inequities in rural healthcare are further aggravated by the disproportionately low number of newly graduated doctors applying for positions in rural areas Although concentrated in rural regions health care deserts also exist in urban and suburban areas particularly in Black majority census tracts in Chicago Los Angeles and New York City 8 Medical literature addressing health disparities in urban centers has applied the term medical desert to areas that are more than five miles from the nearest acute care facility 8 Racial demographic disparities in healthcare access are also present in rural areas particularly with Native Americans living in rural areas receiving inadequate medical care 9 10 Pharmacy deserts have developed in some urban areas 11 12 a situation that has increased the challenge of distributing and administering vaccines for the COVID 19 pandemic 13 14 15 See also edit nbsp Medicine portalBanking desert Environmental racism Fenceline community Food desert Ghetto tax Transit desert Underfunded public school systemReferences edit a b Chevillard Guillaume Lucas Gabrielli Veronique Mousques Julien 2018 Dill Lan ed Medical deserts in France Current state of research and future trends L Espace Geographique 47 362 380 doi 10 3917 eg 474 0362 S2CID 165353742 via CAIRN a b Garcia Estevan 2018 09 01 THE URBAN FOOD DESERT AS A MODEL FOR THE URBAN HEALTH CARE DESERT FUNDAMENTAL CAUSES AND ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS Dissertations and Theses a b Carr Brendan Bowman Ariel Wolff Catherine Mullen Michael T Holena Daniel Branas Charles C Wiebe Douglas 2017 Disparities in Access to Trauma Care in the United States A Population Based Analysis Injury 48 2 332 338 doi 10 1016 j injury 2017 01 008 ISSN 0020 1383 PMC 5292279 PMID 28069138 Poor Access to a Trauma Center Linked to Higher Prehospital Death Rates in More Than Half of U S States American College of Surgeons Retrieved 2020 04 24 About Rural Health Care NRHA www ruralhealthweb org Retrieved 2020 04 24 Hospital Closings Likely to Increase Official web site of the U S Health Resources amp Services Administration 2017 10 16 Retrieved 2020 04 25 Neighborhoods With Medical Deserts Have Emergency Needs During COVID Pandemic The Baltimore Times Inc Positive Stories Retrieved 2020 04 24 a b Tung Elizabeth L Hampton David A Kolak Marynia Rogers Selwyn O Yang Joyce P Peek Monica E 2019 03 01 Race Ethnicity and Geographic Access to Urban Trauma Care JAMA Network Open 2 3 e190138 doi 10 1001 jamanetworkopen 2019 0138 PMC 6484639 PMID 30848804 Friedman Misha 13 April 2016 For Native Americans Health Care Is A Long Hard Road Away NPR org Retrieved 2020 04 24 Why Care at Native American Hospitals Is Often Substandard The New York Times Associated Press 2016 10 08 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2020 04 24 Olumhense Ese Husain Nausheen 2018 01 22 Pharmacy deserts a growing health concern in Chicago experts residents say Chicago Tribune Retrieved 2021 01 21 Kingson Jennifer A 2021 01 07 Pharmacy deserts are becoming a bigger problem in low income neighborhoods Axios Retrieved 2021 01 21 Marsh Tori 2021 01 14 Vaccine Deserts Threaten to Prolong COVID 19 Vaccine Rollout GoodRx GoodRx Retrieved 2021 01 21 Adams Biba 2020 12 25 Pharmacy deserts expose racial and socioeconomic gap in vaccine access TheGrio Retrieved 2021 01 21 Terry Ellis Nicquel Meyersohn Nathaniel Jimenez Omar 2020 12 24 Their communities are deserted by pharmacies Advocates fear this will lead to inequitable vaccine access CNN Retrieved 2021 01 21 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Medical desert amp oldid 1192864549, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
