The study conducted by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) reveals that almost half of the counties in the United States have at least one ‘pharmacy desert,’ where there is no retail pharmacy within a 10-mile radius. This lack of access to medications can have significant consequences, especially in communities that already face social vulnerabilities and have fewer primary care providers. Patients in counties with higher social vulnerabilities were found to be up to 40% more likely to reside in a region with a pharmacy desert, which can exacerbate health disparities.
Social vulnerability, as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), refers to the potential negative effects on communities caused by external stresses on human health. The lack of access to basic health care services due to pharmacy deserts can lead to many individuals not taking their prescribed medications, resulting in poorer health outcomes, particularly for chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, sheds light on how disparities in access to healthcare can compound the issue of pharmacy deserts and impact overall health outcomes.
The researchers utilized data from the publicly available TelePharm Map to identify communities located less than 10 miles from the nearest retail pharmacy. Counties with a high density of pharmacy deserts, defined as the number of pharmacy deserts per 1,000 residents being in the 75th percentile, were found to have higher social vulnerability and fewer primary care providers. This highlights the challenges faced by individuals living in these high-density pharmacy desert areas in accessing medications and healthcare services, potentially leading to undertreatment of medical conditions.
Nearly half of the 3,143 counties assessed in the study had at least one pharmacy desert, indicating the widespread nature of this issue across the United States. The researchers utilized statistical methods to analyze the relationships between pharmacy deserts, social vulnerability index (SVI), and healthcare provider data obtained from the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and the Area Health Resource File databases. Collaborators in the study included individuals such as Giovanni Catalano, MD, Muhammad Muntazir Mehdi Khan, MBBS, and Odysseas P. Chatzipanagiotou, MD, who contributed to the research efforts.
The presence of pharmacy deserts in various counties highlights the disparities in access to healthcare services across different regions in the United States. The findings from the study underscore the need for greater attention to addressing pharmacy deserts, especially in communities with higher social vulnerabilities and fewer primary care providers. Efforts to improve access to medications and healthcare services in these underserved areas can help mitigate the impact of pharmacy deserts on health outcomes and reduce disparities in healthcare access and delivery. By raising awareness about the challenges posed by pharmacy deserts and advocating for targeted interventions, stakeholders can work towards creating a more equitable healthcare system for all individuals, regardless of their geographic location or social vulnerabilities.