Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

New study finds less doctors in high minority areas

Photo courtesy of Nathanael T. Miller, US Navy

 

The Affordable Care Act has given more people access to health care. But a new study out of the Christiana Care Health System finds that minorities living in urban areas still face challenges finding doctors.   

Elizabeth Brown is a primary care physician with Christiana Care and lead author of the study. She looked at census data for Philadelphia and found that urban areas with high numbers of African Americans and Hispanics have low numbers of primary care physicians.

“It’s not that we don’t have enough doctors in the city. It’s that they may not be located in the areas that are closest to where their patients live,” she said.

This lack of doctors in areas with high minority populations creates hurdles for health care. When it’s harder for people to access care, they will delay or avoid it, even if they have a chronic disease like diabetes.

Brown conducted her research in Philadelphia, but she said it could help cities like Wilmington understand where to place future health care facilities.

 

The Affordable Care Act requires nonprofit hospitals to conduct a community needs assessment before building new clinics. Brown believes her research can help guide this assessment by highlighting areas with the biggest need.     

Brown’s research was published in the August issue of the journal Health Affairs.