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A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Columbus. Written by Tyler Buchanan and Alissa Widman Neese.

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Data: National Equity Atlas analysis of IPUMS USA data; Chart: Simran Parwani/Axios

More than one in five U.S. adults without access to a vehicle or public transportation missed or skipped a medical appointment last year, according to a report by the Urban Institute.

Why it matters: Transportation is a key social driver of health equity.

While telehealth has reduced some transportation barriers, it's not accessible to all and can't replace in-person care for all medical needs, Axios' Adriel Bettelheim reports.

What they found: Nationwide, 21% of adults without access to a vehicle or public transit said they went without needed medical care in 2022.

Though 91% of adults reported they had access to a vehicle, the figure was substantially lower for Black adults (81%), those with low family incomes (78%) or a disability (83%) and for individuals with public health insurance (79%) or no coverage (83%).

Zoom in: In Columbus, 11% of households don't have access to a vehicle — and that number is even higher for people of color, and especially women, per the National Equity Atlas.

The big picture: A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found as much as 40% of a person's health can be attributed to socioeconomic factors like education, employment and transportation availability.

What's happening: Some health care providers have launched programs to fill the gap locally, such as CVS Health's partnership with Uber Health in Linden that provides free rides to medical appointments.

OhioHealth screens for transportation issues and offers free bus passes and rideshares to patients in need, and its Wellness on Wheels mobile unit brings care into low-income communities, a spokesperson tells Axios.

What they're saying: Accessing clinical care is one of many ways transportation and well-being are connected, Health Policy Institute of Ohio president Amy Rohling McGee tells Axios.

"Being able to get to places where you can purchase healthy food … to a job that pays a better wage … these are all factors that contribute to our total picture of health."

How transportation impacts health in Columbus

In Columbus, 18% of women of color don't have access to a car.

Medical transportation

More than one in five U.S. adults without access to a vehicle or public transportation missed or skipped a medical appointment last year, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.rwjf.org/en/insights/our-research/2023/04/more-than-one-in-five-adults-with-limited-public-transit-access-forgo-healthcare-because-of-transportation-barriers.html" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.rwjf.org/en/insights/our-research/2023/04/more-than-one-in-five-adults-with-limited-public-transit-access-forgo-healthcare-because-of-transportation-barriers.html" target="_blank">a report</a> by the Urban Institute.Why it matters: Transportation is a key social driver of health equity.