The Utility of Rural and Underserved Designations in Geospatial Assessments of Distance Traveled to Healthcare Services: Implications for Public Health Research and Practice
Table 2
Sample characteristics by cluster.
Cluster 1 ( = 188)
Cluster 2 ( = 348)
Cluster 3 ( = 450)
Cluster 4 ( = 468)
Cluster 5 ( = 504)
Total ( = 1958)
or
Age
57.796
<0.001
18–40 years
7.4%
14.4%
14.3%
13.1%
10.5%
12.4%
41–64 years
30.9%
37.6%
49.1%
49.5%
52.3%
46.2%
65+ years
61.7%
48.0%
36.6%
37.4%
37.3%
41.4%
Sex
4.374
0.358
Male
29.3%
34.2%
28.0%
30.4%
28.6%
29.9%
Female
70.7%
65.8%
72.0%
69.6%
71.4%
70.1%
Education
13.737
0.089
Less than high school
7.0%
5.2%
5.3%
6.2%
3.4%
5.2%
High school graduate
33.7%
31.9%
40.0%
39.7%
38.8%
37.6%
More than high school
59.4%
62.9%
54.6%
54.1%
57.8%
57.2%
Race/ethnicity
33.592
<0.001
Non-Hispanic white
79.8%
74.9%
76.7%
84.2%
87.1%
81.1%
African American
12.0%
11.4%
10.5%
6.0%
6.1%
8.6%
Hispanic
8.2%
13.7%
12.8%
9.9%
6.9%
10.3%
Body mass index
13.557
0.094
Normal weight
28.0%
30.7%
27.7%
33.9%
28.2%
29.9%
Overweight
41.8%
35.8%
34.6%
35.7%
33.3%
35.4%
Obese
30.2%
33.4%
37.8%
30.4%
38.6%
34.7%
Number of chronic conditions
1.42 (±1.08)
1.32 (±1.17)
1.32 (±1.10)
1.28 (±1.11)
1.30 (±1.15)
1.32 (±1.13)
0.536
0.709
Distance traveled to (in miles)
Medical care facility
3.59 (±6.29)
3.33 (±1.96)
14.32 (±14.96)
23.29 (±17.05)
45.01 (±26.70)
21.41 (±23.51)
388.041
<0.001
Dental care facility
1.24 (±0.58)
6.39 (±11.01)
14.26 (±17.42)
15.62 (±8.00)
42.70 (±25.89)
19.27 (±22.13)
371.269
<0.001
Retrieve prescription medications
1.24 (±0.83)
2.50 (±1.69)
4.43 (±2.27)
14.27 (±8.26)
26.45 (±17.75)
11.81 (±13.94)
472.017
<0.001
Total
6.07 (±6.14)
12.21 (±10.31)
33.02 (±21.35)
53.18 (±17.59)
114.15 (±46.52)
52.49 (±48.13)
1011.251
<0.001
UIC
Metro
12.5%
25.5%
23.9%
20.2%
17.9%
52.6%
158.623
<0.001
Nonmetro
6.4%
9.2%
22.0%
28.0%
34.5%
47.4%
MUA
Not designated
17.1%
37.0%
30.5%
14.1%
1.3%
31.6%
510.874
<0.001
Designated
6.1%
8.9%
19.5%
28.5%
37.0%
68.4%
HPSA
Not designated
13.2%
25.9%
28.1%
20.4%
12.4%
57.9%
365.209
<0.001
Designated
4.7%
6.5%
16.0%
28.7%
44.0%
42.1%
Frontier
Not designated
11.9%
21.8%
26.1%
22.9%
17.3%
75.9%
290.413
<0.001
Designated
2.3%
5.1%
13.2%
27.0%
52.4%
24.1%
UIC: Urban Influence Codes. MUA: Medically Underserved Area. HPSA: Health Professional Shortage Area.
