Table 2.
Percentage of Clinicians in Each Discipline Practicing in Underserved Areas, by Type of Underserved Area
| Rural Area % (95% CI) | Vulnerable Population Area % (95% CI) | HPSA % (95% CI) | |
| California | |||
| Population* | 13.0 | 39.0 | 28.0 |
| Family physicians | 13.2 (12.5–13.9) | 30.5 (29.5–31.5) | 24.2 (23.3–25.1) |
| General pediatricians | 6.2 (5.5–6.9) | 31.0 (29.6–32.4) | 18.6 (17.5–19.7) |
| General internists | 5.9 (5.4–6.4) | 31.5 (30.5–32.5) | 17.9 (17.1–18.7) |
| Obstetrician-gynecologists | 6.3 (5.5–7.1) | 28.3 (26.8–29.8) | 16.9 (15.7–18.1) |
| Nurse practitioners | 15.0 (13.6–16.4) | 34.4 (32.5–36.3) | 26.3 (24.6–28.0) |
| Physician assistants | 21.7 (18.9–24.5) | 47.7 (44.3–51.1) | 35.2 (32.0–38.4) |
| Certified nurse-midwives | 15.5 (12.0–19.0) | 41.1 (36.4–45.8) | 35.3 (30.7–39.9) |
| Washington | |||
| Population* | 24.0 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| Family physicians | 23.6 (21.8–25.3) | 45.6 (43.5–47.6) | 43.5 (41.5–45.6) |
| General pediatricians | 14.3 (11.5–17.1) | 43.5 (39.6–47.4) | 32.8 (29.1–36.5) |
| General internists | 13.8 (11.8–15.9) | 54.5 (51.6–57.4) | 28.4 (25.8–31.1) |
| Obstetrician-gynecologists | 13.7 (10.8–16.6) | 52.9 (48.7–57.1) | 31.6 (27.7–35.5) |
| Nurse practitioners | 19.7 (15.9–23.5) | 51.8 (47.0–56.6) | 37.3 (32.7–42.0) |
| Physician assistants | 27.8 (23.7–31.9) | 50.3 (45.8–54.7) | 42.1 (37.6–46.6) |
CI = confidence interval, HPSA = primary care health profession shortage area.
*Percent of state’s population residing in each type of underserved area.
P < .001 for comparisons of percentages across disciplines in each state for each type of underserved area.