Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Access to Transportation Among Persons with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Disparities
• Transportation Equity

Background:

• Lack of reliable transportation hinders access to healthcare and resources for individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
• Limited research has explored race/ethnicity-specific differences in transportation access among those with T2DM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether access to reliable transportation for individuals with T2DM varies by race/ethnicity.
• To identify potential disparities in transportation access based on racial and ethnic groups.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data for individuals with T2DM.
• Assessed reliable transportation access for medical appointments, work, and daily living within the past year.
• Employed weighted logistic regression to examine the association between race/ethnicity and transportation access, controlling for covariates.

Main Results:

• Black, American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN), and multi-racial individuals with T2DM were significantly more likely to report lacking reliable transportation compared to White individuals.
• Factors associated with reduced likelihood of transportation issues included being female, older, married, higher income, employed, and having no mobility issues or depression.
• Self-rated health status from fair to very good was also linked to a lower likelihood of reporting transportation challenges.

Conclusions:

• Race/ethnicity is associated with disparities in reliable transportation access among individuals with T2DM.
• There is a critical need for initiatives to promote racially and ethnically equitable transportation access for people managing T2DM.