Evaluating the Connection Between Rural Travel Time and Health: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Older Adults Living in the Northeast United States

Introduction: To characterize the impact of rural patients’ travel time to obtain healthcare on their reported utilization of preventive healthcare services and personal health outcomes. Methods: Online survey data from rural adults ages 50+ years living in the Northeastern United States were collected from February to August 2021. Study measures included self-reported travel time to obtain healthcare, use of preventive healthcare, and health outcomes. The associations between travel time with use of preventive care and health outcomes were assessed using linear, Poisson, and logistic regression analyses controlling for demographic variables. Results: Our study population included 1052 rural adults, with a mean travel time of 18.5 min (range: 0-60). Travel time was greater for racial/ethnic minority participants and for higher-income participants (both P