Access to health care and current health status: do physicians matter?

Abstract

A number of studies examine the link between access to medical care and health status. Previous studies find little or no relationship between the availability of health care and health status. We examine the issue separately for metropolitan and rural areas. We find that the number of physicians in a county has a positive influence on the health status of individuals in rural areas. Also, older people benefit more from the presence of physicians than younger people. Consistent with previous studies, no clear relationship is found in metropolitan areas. These results support several United States government programmes that encourage physicians to locate in rural areas.