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Women physicians in a nonmetropolitan area
Journal of Medical Education
|July 1, 1980
Summary
Women physicians are underrepresented in nonmetropolitan Illinois practice, with most concentrated in urban counties. Few young women doctors serve smaller communities, highlighting a need for recruitment strategies.
Area of Science:
- Medical Sociology
- Rural Health Disparities
- Physician Workforce Analysis
Background:
- Understanding the distribution of healthcare professionals is crucial for equitable access.
- Nonmetropolitan areas often face physician shortages, impacting community health.
- The role of women physicians in addressing these shortages requires specific investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the number and geographic distribution of women physicians in a nonmetropolitan Illinois region.
- To compare this data with regional, state, and national trends.
- To identify factors influencing women physicians' entry into nonmetropolitan practice.
Main Methods:
- Data extracted from physician directories for 1950, 1965, 1972, and 1979.
- Analysis of physician distribution across 53 counties.
- Comparison of findings with broader demographic and geographic data.
Main Results:
- Women physicians comprised only 5% of practitioners in the study area.
- Nearly three-fourths of women physicians were concentrated in just six counties.
- Few women physicians under 35 entered practice in counties with populations under 50,000.
- Foreign medical graduates, often with family ties to medicine abroad, formed a significant portion of women physicians in smaller counties.
Conclusions:
- Women physicians are less likely to practice in nonmetropolitan settings compared to men.
- Geographic concentration and age demographics indicate challenges in attracting women physicians to underserved rural areas.
- Strategies are needed to encourage women physicians to practice in nonmetropolitan communities facing resource needs.