Differences in Preventive Care Uptake in Attached and Unattached Rural-Living Residents

Preventive care services are crucial for overall health, yet, rural communities experience low rates of preventive service use. Primary care providers are pivotal in facilitating preventive service uptake (e.g., vaccinations, screenings) but shortages have left 1 in 5 Canadians without a primary care provider. The aim of this study was to compare preventive care uptake between BC rural residents attached and unattached to a primary care clinician. A quantitative cross-sectional survey of rural patients, both with (attached) and without (unattached) a primary care provider, was conducted from July to Sept 2022. Participants completed measures assessing prevention activity completion, priorities, and prevention activity self-efficacy. Descriptive statistics were used to compare preventive care completion and attachment status. A total of 516 rural residents (301 attached; 215 unattached) completed the survey (M age = 50.63 years; 74.4% female). Unattached patients reported lower prevention service completion rates (M = 51%) compared with attached patients (M = 63%; p < .001), although there was no significant difference in the number of prevention priorities. Self-efficacy for provider communication (p < .001), managing chronic illness (p = .002), getting vaccines (p < .001), and completing preventive screening (p < .001) was lower among unattached compared with attached participants. The results indicate a suboptimal uptake of preventive care in rural communities. Furthermore, they highlight a concerning gap in uptake between attached and unattached patients and provide strategic information for developing and implementing preventive care policy and programs, a pressing need given the persistent provider shortage.