Pediatricians
60% of rural U.S. counties have 0 general pediatricians. States in the West and South have the fewest pediatricians per 100,000 children.
General pediatricians per 100,000 children age 0-14, 2021
General pediatricians ever certified, age 70 and under
Source: The American Board of Pediatrics and Census Bureau Vintage 2020 PEP. Notes: Includes all general pediatricians age 70 and younger who have become board certified at some time in their career. Pediatric subspecialists are excluded. For more notes, see the Pediatric Physicians Workforce Data Book at link provided.
Pediatricians are an important source of behavioral and mental health care for children and recent polls reveal they are parents’ most trusted source of information on the Covid vaccine for children.1,2 But the majority of completely or mostly rural counties in the U.S. have no pediatricians at all. 88% of completely rural counties and 43% of mostly rural counties have no general pediatricians, compared to 10% of urban counties and 14% of mostly urban counties. Rural counties across the U.S. have only 36 pediatricians per 100,000 children (0-14 years old) compared to 119 pediatricians per 100,000 children in urban counties. States in the Northeast have the most pediatricians per 100,000 children, while states in the West and South have the fewest.
In many rural areas, children lack both insurance coverage and providers, making it unlikely they will receive the health care they need. Children are more prone to illness and injury than adults and, without access to care, illnesses can go untreated and have lifetime effects.3,4 Without health care, children’s physical health, emotional health, and development can be compromised, undermining their ability to become fully productive adults.5
“Pediatricians are plentiful, but not in poorer states”. Freed, Nahra, and Wheeler. University of Michigan. July, 2004. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/476758
“KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: Winter 2021 Update On Parents' Views Of Vaccines For Kids”. Hamel, Lopes, Kearney, Stokes, Kirzinger, Sparks, and Brodie. Kaiser Family Foundation. December, 2021. https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/poll-finding/kff-covid-19-vaccine-monitor-winter-2021-update-on-parents-views-of-vaccines/
“Reasons Why Healthcare for Children is So Important”. Freeway Insurance. https://www.freewayinsurance.com/knowledge-center/health-insurance/understanding-health-insurance/reasons-why-healthcare-for-children-is-so-important/
“Health Care and Children”. State University. https://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/2034/Health-Care-Children.html
“Health Insurance and Access to Care”. Edmunds, Coye. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK230385/#:~:text=Children%27s%20access%20to%20health%20care,their%20full%20potential%20as%20adults.