US pharmacy closures are hitting racial minority communities the hardest
Pharmacies across the United States continue to close at a rapid rate, leaving millions of Americans in "pharmacy deserts," where they lack convenient and reasonable access to the care these community health hubs provide. Past research indicates that nearly one in three pharmacies closed between 2010 and 2021, including more than 7,000 pharmacies since 2019.
The rapid closure of pharmacies across the United States is disproportionately affecting racial minority communities, according to a new study led by researchers at Boston University School of Public Health. Pharmacies are rapidly disappearing, leaving millions of Americans without convenient access to essential care. Research indicates that nearly one-third of the nation's pharmacies were closed between 2010 and 2021, with over 7,000 pharmacies vanishing since 2019 alone.
A study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that predominantly white neighborhoods have 15% more pharmacies per 10,000 residents than predominantly minority neighborhoods, both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers found that residents in predominantly white communities most commonly visited pharmacies within similar neighborhoods, while those in areas with fewer pharmacies often traveled to pharmacies in diverse neighborhoods.
This disparity in access may lead to negative health outcomes, as pharmacies have evolved into trusted community health hubs providing vital services like medication pickup, vaccines, testing, and treatment for various conditions. Study lead Dr. Elaine Nsoesie, an associate professor of global health, emphasizes that the closures exacerbate existing health inequities, particularly for Black and Latino communities.
The study's findings suggest that socioeconomic factors like income alone may not fully explain the disparity in pharmacy availability, hinting that race and ethnicity might play a stronger role.
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