Do Communities Make a Difference in Access? A National Study
This project will examine the effect of community-level resources on an individual's access to health care, particularly whether urban and rural individuals' access to health care differs, given community differences. If rural residents lack access to appropriate and needed health care services as a function of where they live, they may have lower health care utilization and, therefore, diminished outcomes. Lack of access may lead to a lack of preventive care, delays in seeking needed care, and other inappropriate health care use.
Community-level variables may limit health care access for low-income people, especially in rural areas. Community-level resources affect an individual's ability to use health care resources if the institutions that deliver health care are not accessible.
This project will use empirical research, differentiated at the urban and rural levels, to test the following hypotheses:
- Access to care is affected by enabling, predisposing, and need characteristics of the individual, but also by community demand, community support community structure variables.
- Community-level variables will play a more significant role in rural communities.
A policy paper and policy brief will be produced based on the findings.
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