Research Hub

In the preventive arena, lack of transportation can lead to underimmunization, difficulties in administering screening programs, failure to attend pediatric checkups, and lack of prenatal care for poor women.For chronic problems, numerous studies have documented a lack of care because of transportation barriers. Conover and Whetten-Goldstein, for example, found that 16.7% of AIDS and HIV patients reported difficulties in obtaining transportation and as a result were much less likely to have a primary care physician or to obtain regular care. For people with diabetes, another study revealed that those who missed more than 30% of scheduled appointments experienced worse health outcomes than those who attended more often. Additionally, patients with asthma entering the emergency room were much less likely to obtain follow-up care if they did not have access to transportation.