View Policy Brief

08/2022

Pharmacies provide access to medications, medication counseling, and patient education and are a critical part of health care infrastructure. Differences in access to pharmacies across ZIP code tabulation areas (ZCTAs) based upon minoritized racial/ethnic group (MRG) populations and rural/urban location are the subject of this brief.

The mean density of pharmacies across rural ZCTAs was 1.2 pharmacies per 10,000 persons. The mean density of pharmacies across urban ZCTAs was 1.7 pharmacies per 10,000 persons. The lowest density of pharmacies across rural-urban MRG designation was found in rural Hispanic ZCTAs.

Rural and Minority Health Research Center

Whitney Zahnd, Gabriel Benavidez, Oyeleye Oyesode, Nicholas Yell, Elizabeth Crouch, Jan Eberth, Peiyin Hung, Janice Probst

American Indians and Alaska Natives, Health disparities and health equity, Healthcare access, Hispanics, Home health, Long-term care, Minority health, Pharmacy and prescription drugs