Assessing geographical variation in economic disadvantage and dermatological care access in Florida

This study aims to quantify the relationship between economic disadvantage and access to dermatological care in Florida in order to advocate for tailored healthcare policies. Identifying underserved geographic communities can guide policymakers in implementing strategies to enhance accessibility to care in these areas. Using data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the US Census, this study analyzed dermatologist density across 920 Florida zip codes. Economic disadvantage was assessed using the distressed community index (DCI), a metric that stratifies zip codes into 5 levels of economic well-being. Statistical analyses, including the Kruskal-Wallis test, were conducted to assess disparities. Findings revealed significant differences in the number of providers by DCI quintile (p<.001) and urban/rural designation (p<.001). Lower deprivation areas were more likely to have providers, with 33.2% of the least deprived quintile having at least one provider compared to 11.8% in the most deprived quintile. Urban areas were more likely to have at least one provider (p<.001), with 36.6% of urban zip codes having providers versus 1.1% of rural ones. Zip codes with at least one provider had significantly higher total population (p<.001). These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to address geographic disparities in the provision of dermatologic care, particularly in economically disadvantaged and rural areas of Florida. Considering the state’s high sun exposure rates and associated skin cancer risks, ensuring accessible dermatology services across all zip codes, regardless of socioeconomic status, is imperative for public health.