Geographic disparities in dermatologic care access: An analysis of kentucky

Summary: Abstract Body: This study utilizes GIS mapping to assess geographic disparities in access to dermatologic care in Kentucky, a state with a known significant rural population and poor national health rankings. Using 2019 Medicare data, the distribution of dermatology providers and utilization rates of dermatologic services were analyzed across Kentucky’s 120 counties, classified by urban or rural designation. Geographic mapping revealed vast areas of rural Kentucky with little to no access to dermatologic services, even though 50.4% of the 550,718 fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare beneficiaries reside in rural counties. Despite this, only 13.6% of dermatology providers served these rural areas. Notably, providers offering complex dermatologic procedures were located in 31.4% of urban counties compared to just 4.7% of rural counties (p<0.001), while less complex procedures showed similar disparities (37.1% of urban counties vs. 17.6% of rural counties, p=0.040). Urban beneficiaries were 8.5 times more likely to access dermatologic services than their rural counterparts. These findings highlight significant epidemiologic disparities in access to dermatologic care, with rural populations facing significant barriers to essential procedures. The findings of these geographic findings further highlight the rural-urban disparity in access to care due to inequitable provider distribution. Policies geared towards investing in improved access to underserved areas can improve dermatologic outcomes for rural populations. Roma Desai¹, Anthony Marcelletti¹, Parisa Shamaei Zadeh¹, Sophia Daniel¹, Will Cranford², Emily Slade², Jeffery Talbert³, Chase Wilson⁴ 1. University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States. 2. Department of Biostatistics, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Lexington, KY, United States. 3. Division of Biomedical Informatics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States. 4. Elkhorn Dermatology PLLC, Georgetown, KY, United States. Clinical Research: Epidemiology and Observational Research