Skip to main content

2010 to 2020 Saw Disparities in Surgeon Supply Widen in the United States

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Dec 6, 2023.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 6, 2023 -- Disparities in surgeon supply between rural and urban counties and between socially vulnerable and other counties widened in the United States from 2010 to 2020, according to a research letter published online Nov. 29 in JAMA Surgery.

Vishal R. Patel, from the Dell Medical School in Austin, Texas, and colleagues evaluated trends in per-capita surgeon supply from 2010 to 2020 at the U.S. county level.

The researchers found that surgeon supply per 100,000 population decreased in rural counties (9.97 versus 9.03), while increasing in urban counties (22.7 versus 23.6), thus widening the rural-urban disparity in surgeon supply over time (difference-in-difference, −1.78). For socially vulnerable counties, the number of surgeons per 100,000 population decreased between 2010 and 2020 (12.4 versus 11.5), while remaining unchanged in other counties (15.4 versus 15.4), thus widening the disparity in surgeon supply (difference-in-difference, −0.87).

"These findings suggest that existing federal programs have not addressed the unequal distribution of the surgical workforce," the authors write. "Policy solutions are needed to reduce health inequities and mitigate underlying factors of surgical workforce disparities, including unequal compensation, working conditions, and access to training."

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted December 2023

Read this next

Emergency Inguinal Hernia Surgery Rates Increased With Lower Country Income

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- For patients undergoing inguinal hernia surgery, emergency surgery rates increase from high- to low-income countries, according to a study published online...

For Women With Obesity, Risk for Breast Cancer Drops After Bariatric Surgery

THURSDAY, May 16, 2024 -- For women with obesity, the risk for breast cancer is reduced after bariatric surgery, according to a study published online May 15 in JAMA...

Robotic-Assisted Total Knee Arthroplasty Has Fewer Complications

WEDNESDAY, May 15, 2024 -- Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) is associated with fewer complications but higher average total cost than conventional TKA (cTKA)...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.