Psychologists, Physicians Scarcer in Rural Areas? - Summary - MDSpire
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Psychologists, Physicians Scarcer in Rural Areas?
National survey data found lower per-capita representation across 23 occupations in nonmetropolitan communities, with the largest workforce differences observed among psychologists, physicians, and surgeons.
To analyze the distribution of patient-facing health care professionals in metropolitan versus nonmetropolitan areas.
Approach:
Key Findings:
8% of health care workers (1.1 million) were employed in nonmetropolitan areas, while 14% of the US population lived in those communities.
Nonmetropolitan areas had 231 health care workers per 10,000 residents compared to 415 per 10,000 in metropolitan areas, a 44% difference.
Psychologists and physicians showed the largest workforce differences, with nonmetropolitan areas having about one-quarter as many psychologists and one-third as many physicians per capita.
Interpretation:
Nonmetropolitan areas had fewer patient-facing health care workers relative to population size than metropolitan areas, with the largest gaps found in highly trained clinical and behavioral health roles.
Limitations:
The analysis could not determine the causes of geographic differences or their effects on health care access, quality, or outcomes.
Occupations were self-reported, and physician specialties could not be assessed.
Workplace urbanicity was assigned using broad geographic units that could not distinguish micropolitan areas.
Some workplace locations required statistical imputation.
Conclusion:
The study reports disparities in the availability of health care professionals between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
These 10 states reported physician residency completion totals, physician retention rates, or residency Match fill rates identified in graduate medical education data.
