This project has several activities related to the development of new indices of underservice for rural areas:

• Apply the existing Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) and Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) criteria to a current national database for all counties and for current subcounty MUA/P and HPSA service areas. The Division of Shortage Designation (DSD), Federal Bureau of Primary Care, will provide data and guidance to the approach used in its original sensitivity analyses.
• Conduct a thorough, updated analysis of the impact of applying the proposed rules as published to the same current national database, for all counties and for current subcounty MUA/P and HPSA service areas.
• Compare the number and population residing in the new Medically Underserved Populations designation to the number and population of currently designated MUA/Ps and HPSAs.

There may be products related to this project; please contact the lead researcher for more information.