Geographic access to community pharmacies based on walking, driving, and public transportation in the 10 most populated U.S. areas

Abstract

Background: Previous analyses measuring geographic access to community pharmacies (pharmacy access) have relied solely on driving distance or time, without considering other modes of transportation such as walking and public transportation. This omission represents an important limitation, particularly in metropolitan areas where other transportation modes are regularly used, which potentially can lead to the underestimation of inequities in pharmacy access. Objectives: To investigate whether measuring pharmacy access based on driving underestimates inequities in access, given the fact that not everyone has access to a vehicle. Methods: We used geographic information system analysis to measure pharmacy access. We selected the top 10 metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas with the largest population in the United States because of the feasibility and availability of different transportation modes in those areas. Results: We found that across the top 10 populated U.S. areas and based on a 20-minute travel time, pharmacy access will be overestimated for approximately 702,708 and 2,430,764 individuals if we consider driving as the transportation mode instead of walking and public transportation, respectively. Conclusion: Results suggest that measures of pharmacy access derived solely from driving time will underestimate inequities in pharmacy access, specifically in areas with a low rate of private vehicle ownership.