Examination of Geospatial Characteristics Surrounding Retail Health Clinics: National Estimates From the Linked Retail Health Clinic (LiRHC) Database.

backgroundRetail health clinics (RHCs) have the potential to improve population health and expand access to health care for populations typically disconnected from traditional health care providers. However, previous studies have often found that RHCs are located near populations having characteristics associated with better health and access to traditional health care providers.

objectivesThis study uses data from the new Linked Retail Health Clinic (LiRHC) database, along with a variety of other data sources such as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's database on Social Determinants of Health, to examine the characteristics of populations residing near RHCs through a fine-grained analysis of the spatial distribution of RHCs and the geographical and contextual characteristics of the census tracts in which they are located. RESEARCH

designThis study compares the characteristics of census tracts most exposed to RHCs with those of surrounding, less-exposed tracts across 5 broad dimensions: economic stability, education, health care access, neighborhood environment, and demographics.

resultsResidents of predominantly urban census tracts, who are most exposed to RHCs, are more economically stable and have greater access to education and health care. They are older, more likely to be non-Hispanic White or Asian, and less likely to be Hispanic or non-Hispanic Black. Only 2 statistically significant differences between more- and less-exposed tracts are observed in rural areas.

conclusionsIn most instances, this study finds smaller differences between more- and less-exposed census tracts than those documented in previous work. This result plausibly is driven by a finer definition of treatment and comparison geographies enabled by the LiRHC database.