Quantifying Population Characteristics Within and Outside a 30-Minute Drive-Time to Health Resources and Services Administration-Supported Health Centers

Abstract

The Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Health Center Program provides health care to vulnerable persons across the US, regardless of their ability to pay for health care. We examined characteristics of populations living within and outside a 30-minute drive-time to HRSA-supported health centers to establish a baseline to better understand the differences in these populations. Using a descriptive, cross-sectional study design and geographic information systems, we found that 94% of persons in the US live within a 30-minute drive-time of a health center. Of those outside a 30-minute drive-time to a health center, 11.7 million (60.11%) are rural and over 1.5 million households (20.32%) lack broadband internet access.