Psychologists, Physicians Scarcer in Rural Areas?

Overview

A cross-sectional analysis reveals that nonmetropolitan areas have significantly fewer patient-facing health care professionals compared to metropolitan areas, with the largest disparities in highly trained roles such as psychologists and physicians.

Background

This study examines the distribution of patient-facing health care workers across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.

Data Highlights

Key Findings

• Nonmetropolitan areas have 44% fewer health care workers per capita compared to metropolitan areas.
• Only 8% of health care workers are employed in nonmetropolitan areas, despite 14% of the US population residing there.
• Psychologists and physicians are the most affected, with nonmetropolitan areas having about one-quarter and one-third as many, respectively, compared to metropolitan areas.
• Occupations requiring extensive training show larger disparities in availability between urban and rural settings.
• Assistant-level occupations exhibit smaller disparities, with some being more common in nonmetropolitan areas under certain classifications.

Clinical Implications

The significant shortage of health care professionals in rural areas may hinder access to necessary medical and psychological services for residents.

Conclusion

The findings highlight the disparities in health care professional availability between rural and urban areas.

Related Resources & Content

1. Burus T, Semprini J, Annals of Internal Medicine, 2023 -- Psychologists, Physicians Scarcer in Rural Areas?
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