Research Alert: July 14, 2021

Rural-Urban Variations in Travel Burdens for Care: Findings from the 2017 National Household Travel Survey

Access to health care is essential in maintaining overall health, managing conditions, and preventing disease. The travel distance and travel time to medical or dental care can create barriers to health services and impact health status and the equitable provision of health services to all Americans.

Using 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) data, this project examines differences in travel patterns to medical and dental care in the U.S. based on the rurality classification, socio-demographic, and geographic characteristics of the survey population. Findings indicate that the average distance traveled for medical and dental care has changed little since the last analysis of NHTS data in 2001. The findings did note that among rural residents, Blacks and Hispanics, older residents, those with low incomes, those who seek care during night hours, and those who live in the Midwest census region bear a disproportionate burden of travel for care.

Additional Resources of Interest:

• More information about the Southwest Rural Health Research Center
• More information from the Rural Health Information Hub's topic guides: Healthcare Access, Rural Health Disparities, Transportation to Support Rural Healthcare