More than One in Five Adults with Limited Public Transit Access Forgo Health Care Because of Transportation Barriers

One in five adults without access to a vehicle or public transportation reported skipping necessary healthcare services.

The Issue

Transportation barriers, which disproportionately affect individuals and families with low incomes, create access barriers to care and can be detrimental to long-term health. 

Key Findings

• 21 percent of U.S. adults without access to a vehicle or public transit went without needed medical care last year. Individuals who lacked access to a vehicle but reported neighborhood access to public transportation services were less likely to skip needed care (9%). 
• 5 percent of all U.S. adults reported forgoing healthcare due to transportation barriers. 
• Black adults (8%), adults with low family incomes (14%), and adults with public health insurance (12%) were all more likely to forgo needed care due to difficulty finding transportation. 
• Adults with a disability (17%) were more than three times as likely to report skipping care due to transportation concerns. 

Conclusion

Reliable access to transportation, whether it be a vehicle or neighborhood public transit, is a social driver of health in the United States.

About the Author/Grantee

The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. Visit the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center  for more information specific to its staff and its recent research.