Transportation is a Health Equity Barrier: SDoH Survey Findings 2023

In May 2023, Engagys conducted an SDoH (or social determinants of health) survey of 570 U.S. respondents aged 18+. Among other findings, the survey revealed that a lack of transportation remains a barrier for some. Just over 20% of total respondents agree or strongly agree that due to transportation challenges they have been kept from medical appointments, work, or from getting things needed for daily living. However, the results showed that certain population segments experienced more dramatic impacts than others. Diving deeper into the data, here are some important findings.

Those with annual income under $25k are more vulnerable

When it comes to income, respondents whose income falls under $25,000 are nearly twice as likely, at 28%, to report challenges with transportation than respondents with annual incomes greater than $75,000, 15% of whom experience transportation difficulties.

Burdens associated with transportation are not evenly distributed among racial and ethnic groups

The survey shows that Hispanics were twice as likely, at 37%, to agree or strongly agree that they had faced transportation challenges than non-Hispanics, at 16%.

Transportation barriers are more prevalent for certain age groups

Older Americans appear to be doing better than other groups in terms of transportation. They are 3-4 times less likely to report barriers associated with transportation than other groups, regardless of income levels. This finding, along with others in our survey, indicates that older populations seem to have greater understanding and confidence when it comes to navigating the healthcare system, compared to younger age groups.

Final Thoughts

These findings have important implications for health plans. The good news is that there are proven solutions to remove transportation roadblocks for vulnerable populations.

Interested in learning more about this and other SDoH barriers, along with successful interventions to correct them? Get your copy of the Social Risk and SDoH Consumer Survey Findings 2023 eBook.

Special thanks to co-author Bradyn Radford