Access to healthcare is essential in maintaining overall health, managing conditions, and preventing disease. One important component of measuring access to health services is to account for geographic, or place-based factors. 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.

Building on analyses from the early to mid-2000s of travel behaviors of urban and rural U.S. residents, this project utilized the 2017 National Household Travel Survey to aid in the development of local, state, and national policies aimed at decreasing travel burden and increasing equitable access to healthcare.

Publications

• Rural Urban Variation in Travel Burdens for Care: Findings From the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (Executive Summary)
  Supplement
  Southwest Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 12/2021
  This project focuses on geographic access to medical and dental care, knowing that travel distances can keep people from getting necessary care. The study examines how rural residents' travel behaviors vary by socio-demographic and geographic characteristics and evaluates factors associated with a higher travel burden for medical and dental care.
• Rural-Urban Variations in Travel Burdens for Care: Findings From the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (Policy Brief)
  Policy Brief
  Southwest Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 07/2021
  This project focuses on geographic access to medical and dental care, knowing that travel distances can keep people from getting necessary care. The study examines how rural residents' travel behaviors vary by socio-demographic and geographic characteristics and evaluates factors associated with a higher travel burden for medical and dental care.
• Travel for Medical or Dental Care by Race/Ethnicity and Rurality in the U.S.: Findings From the 2001, 2009 and 2017 National Household Travel Surveys
  Journal Article
  Southwest Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 10/2023
  This study examines trends in the travel distance and time for medical/dental care trips. Using 2001 to 2017 data from the National Household Travel Survey, our analysis found that travel distance and time increased for rural residents relative to urban residents.