Understanding Physician Shortages: Analysis of Social-contextual Factors Impacting Physician Supply at the State Level

• In Event: 3185 - Health Care and Care Delivery

Abstract

We know very little about the factors that impact where physicians practice medicine. Unequal distribution of physicians has led to significant disparities in rural communities. Concerns in the United States regarding current and future physician shortages continues to grow (Schubert et al., 2003; Miller et al., 2001; AMAC 2008). Using ordinary least squares linear regression analysis, this study investigates the impact of percentage of minority population, level of poverty, and degree of urbanization on the number of non-federal physicians per capita at the state level for all 50 states and the District of Columbia (N: 51). The data was retrieved from the US Census for the year 2000. Percentage of minority population, the level of poverty, and degree of urbanization all had a statistically significant impact on the number of non-federal physicians per capita at the state level. Among the primary variables of interest, urbanization was the most statistically significant predictor (p=.005): as the percentage of urbanization increases, the number of non-federal physicians also increases. Health insurance status had a statistically significant (p=.004) impact on the number of federal physicians per capita. Implications of these results regarding the recent health care reform bill are discussed. Recognizing the critical role of decreasing uninsured percentage can have multiple positive outcomes. We also propose longer-term policies to better address Health Professional Shortage Areas. Future studies should continue investigating what factors predict the number of physicians per capita at the state level to continue to provide potential pathways to address the widening gap of supply and demand of physicians in the US, especially because severe physician shortages occur disproportionately among the underserved.

Authors

• Cirila Estela Vasquez Guzman, Morehouse School of Medicine

• Andrew Breidenbach, University of New Mexico