Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42074455›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2026

Geospatial Disparities in Access to Outpatient Physical and Occupational Therapy Services in Texas: Implications for Health Equity and Rehabilitation Workforce Policy.

Madeline Ratoza, Rupal M Patel, Wayne Brewer, Katy Mitchell, Julia Chevan

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Madeline RatozaCollege of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, Austin, TX 78739, USA.ORCID 0009-0007-1993-5171
Rupal M PatelSchool of Physical Therapy, Texas Woman's University, Houston, TX 77030, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3214-9638
Wayne BrewerSchool of Physical Therapy, Texas Woman's University, Houston, TX 77030, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4841-5454
Katy MitchellSchool of Physical Therapy, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX 76209, USA.
Julia ChevanSchool of Health Sciences, Springfield College, Springfield, MA 01109, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3044-4070

Funding

CoHSTAR n/a
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Equitable access to rehabilitation services is essential for individuals living with a disability, yet geographic disparities in outpatient rehabilitation care remain understudied. This study examined spatial accessibility to outpatient physical and occupational therapy services across Texas to identify regional inequities and inform workforce and policy planning. A descriptive cross-sectional geospatial analysis was conducted using outpatient clinic location data from the Texas Health and Human Services database (2022) and population data from the 2020 U.S. Census. Clinic addresses were verified and geocoded. Accessibility was measured using an origin-destination cost matrix to estimate the travel time to the nearest clinic, and the two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method to calculate an accessibility index. Spatial clustering of access was assessed using the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic to identify hot and cold spots. The analysis included 2255 outpatient rehabilitation clinics across 6896 census tracts. Travel times varied substantially, with rural areas experiencing the longest travel burdens. The 2SFCA analysis revealed pronounced disparities, with low-accessibility clusters concentrated in rural and border regions and high-accessibility clusters in urban metropolitan areas. These findings demonstrate persistent geographic disparities in outpatient rehabilitation access across Texas, suggesting the need for targeted workforce placement, transportation investment, and policy interventions to improve equitable access.

Indexed as

Healthcare DisparitiesHealth Services AccessibilityOccupational TherapyCross-Sectional StudiesHumansSocioeconomic Disparities in HealthTexasTravelgeospatial analysishealth policyhealth services accessibilityoccupational therapyphysical therapyrehabilitation servicesrural health disparitiesworkforce distribution

Identifiers

PMID42074455
PMCPMC13115661

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.