Driving Status and Transportation Disadvantage Among Medicare Beneficiaries. (September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ryvicker, Miriam; Bollens-Lund, Evan; Ornstein, Katherine A.
• Is Part Of: Journal of applied gerontology. Volume 39:Number 9(2020)
• Page Start: 935
• Page End: 943
• Publication Date: 2020-09
• Subjects: transportation -- access to care -- service utilization -- care coordination; Gerontology -- Periodicals; 362.6
• DOI: 10.1177/0733464818806834
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0733-4648

Abstract

Transportation disadvantage may have important implications for the health, well-being, and quality of life of older adults. This study used the 2015 National Health Aging Trends Study, a nationally representative study of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and over ( N = 7, 498), to generate national estimates of transportation modalities and transportation disadvantage among community-dwelling older adults in the United States. An estimated 10.8 million community-dwelling older adults in the United States rarely or never drive. Among nondrivers, 25% were classified as transportation disadvantaged, representing 2.3 million individuals. Individuals with more chronic medical conditions and those reliant on assistive devices were more likely to report having a transportation disadvantage ( p < .05). Being married resulted in a 50% decreased odds of having a transportation disadvantage ( p < .01). Some individuals may be at higher risk for transportation-related barriers to engaging in valued activities and accessing care, calling for tailored interventions such as ride-share services combined with care coordination strategies.