Disparities in Travel-Related Barriers to Accessing Health Care From the 2017 National Household Travel Survey

Key Points Question What sociodemographic factors are associated with geographic barriers in accessing health care facilities in the United States? Findings In this cross-sectional study including 12 092 households and 15 063 respondents, non-Hispanic Black respondents and economically disadvantaged populations were more likely to use public transportation. Among respondents with an income of $25 000 to $49 999, non-Hispanic Black respondents had longer trip duration than non-Hispanic White respondents, despite a similar distance traveled. Meaning These findings suggest that achieving health equity in access to care will require the removal of access barriers that disproportionately affect socioeconomically disadvantaged and racially minoritized populations.