Health Professional Shortage Areas | Community Health

Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) are geographic areas or populations with a shortage of primary care, dental, or mental health professionals. The designation of HPSAs is based on a formula that considers the population-to-provider ratio, the percentage of the population with health insurance, and the percentage of the population with incomes below the federal poverty level. Factors contributing to HPSAs include rural-urban disparities, socioeconomic status, and healthcare access barriers. The American Medical Association (AMA) has highlighted the need for increased funding for healthcare workforce development. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has funded research to explore the impact of HPSAs on health outcomes and to identify effective strategies for addressing the shortage.