How transportation can affect health in Tampa Bay

More than one in five U.S. adults without access to a vehicle or reliable 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.

Zoom in: In Tampa Bay, 6.4% of households don't have access to a vehicle, per the National Equity Atlas.

• That number jumps even higher for people of color — roughly 11% for Black households and 8% for Latinos.

Zoom out: Nationwide, 21% of adults without access to a vehicle or public transit said they went without needed medical care in 2022, according to the Urban Institute's report.

• 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 people with public health insurance (79%) or no coverage (83%).
• 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 they're saying: Erica Monet Li, a policy analyst for the Florida Policy Institute, told Axios that unreliable transportation can stop people from getting to health appointments, especially if they need appointments outside traditional hours.

• "There have been efforts in general to address these barriers, such as discounts through certain insurance programs for rideshares, but this isn't always effective, and not available to everyone," Monet Li said.

What we're watching: The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority, which is charged with advancing regional transportation in Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco and Pinellas counties, is shutting down operations.

• Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill last week to finalize the dissolution of the agency after cutting funding for it twice in past state budgets.
• The Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization recently agreed to join a state-mandated study into potentially combining the county's transportation planning oversight agency with its counterparts in Pasco and Pinellas counties, per the Tampa Bay Times.