Shocking Findings on Rural Dialysis Access – Recent Study Reveals
TL/DR –
Rural residents in America generally live farther from dialysis treatment facilities than their urban counterparts, with an average distance of just over 14 miles compared to urban residents’ 4.5 miles. However, a new study found that rural African American residents live closer to these facilities than rural white residents, at an average of 10.5 miles versus 16.6 miles. The study also noted that the increase in dialysis center access was partly due to funding changes, with federal policy now requiring Medicare and Medicaid to pay for dialysis treatments, leading to an increase in for-profit dialysis facilities in areas with higher concentrations of patients needing the service.
Rural Dialysis Treatment Accessibility Overview
A new study sheds light on dialysis treatment accessibility, revealing that rural residents generally live farther from dialysis facilities than urban dwellers. This reflects the larger issue of lower healthcare access in rural America. Interestingly, the data presented an unexpected finding: African American residents in rural areas tend to live closer to dialysis facilities than their white counterparts.
The study, led by Jan Probst from the Rural and Minority Health Research Center, examines the distribution of dialysis centers and the demographics of surrounding areas. Dialysis cleanses the blood when kidneys fail due to conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. Patients spend hours at these facilities as the dialysis machines filter their blood.
Rural Residents’ Access to Dialysis Facilities
Probst’s research indicates that rural residents generally have to travel over 14 miles to reach the nearest dialysis facility, compared to the average 4.5-mile distance for urban dwellers. The average distance has decreased significantly from 40 miles since the last study in 2013.
Interestingly, the study shows that rural African American residents live closer to dialysis facilities than other racial groups. On average, they are only 10.5 miles away, while white residents are about 16.6 miles distant.
Changes in Funding Influencing Dialysis Access
Probst attributes the improved access to dialysis centers to changes in federal funding policies since her 2013 study. Medicare and Medicaid now cover dialysis treatment costs, which has led to the proliferation of for-profit dialysis facilities in areas with high patient concentrations.
Despite the expense of dialysis treatment, Medicare covers it from the fourth month of treatment if the patient or their spouse has a sufficient work history. Generally, providers set up dialysis facilities in areas with a high concentration of patients, who often suffer from illnesses like diabetes that can lead to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) due to limited access to other health services.
Remaining Barriers to Dialysis Treatment
Even with improved access, barriers to care remain. Patients need to attend dialysis sessions three times a week, and each session lasts approximately three hours. In addition, dialysis facilities lack evening and weekend hours, which can make maintaining a job challenging for patients and their carers. The care burden is particularly high for rural African American residents, who often suffer from unmanaged diabetes leading to ESRD.
This article was first published on The Daily Yonder under a Creative Commons license.
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