Reducing Health Disparities through Enhanced Mobility Support and Access

摘要 交通是影响健康的上游社会决定因素的一个主要因素，但对于那些在市中心寻求医疗服务和依赖公共交通的人来说，美国的系统是分散和低效的。这包括那些不能开车、买不起私人车辆和被迫依赖公共交通的人，公共交通往往不可靠，并造成健康或安全问题。其结果是无法获得保健资源，包括预防性和例行后续护理。研究表明，缺乏交通对获得医疗保健产生负面影响。然而，研究综合交通干预对整体健康的影响是缺失的。为了填补这一空白，Feonix - Mobility Rising及其合作伙伴倡导在德克萨斯州达拉斯和密歇根州底特律实施运输援助中心（TAH）。 TAH包括部署移动即服务、移动钱包和借记卡，其工作方式与用于补充营养援助计划（SNAP）的电子福利转账（EBT）卡类似。TAH还包括一个Mobility Navigator，为乘客提供帮助，以优化他们的交通预算，并支持使用新的交通方式。该项目的目的是表明，通过提供交通和导航资源的支持，乘客将体验到健康和福祉的改善。该项目将侧重于社会经济地位较低的个人以及持续贫困社区和Justice 40确定的弱势社区中的少数种族和族裔群体。

Abstract Transportation is a major factor impacting the upstream social determinants of health, yet the system in the United States is fragmented and inefficient for those seeking healthcare services within the inner-city and who depend on public transit. This includes individuals who are unable to drive, afford a personal vehicle and are forced to rely on public transit, which is often unreliable and poses health or safety concerns. The result is a lack of access to health resources including preventive and routine followup care. Research demonstrates a lack of transportation has negative consequences on access to healthcare. However, research examining the effect of a comprehensive transportation intervention on overall health is missing. To fill this gap Feonix - Mobility Rising, and its partners, advocate for the implementation of Transportation Assistance Hubs (TAH) in Dallas, Texas and Detroit, Michigan. A TAH includes the deployment of Mobility as a Service, a mobility wallet, and debit card, which will work similarly to the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card that is used for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The TAH also includes a Mobility Navigator who provides riders assistance to optimize their transportation budget and support using new modes of transportation. The aim of the project is to show that by providing access to transportation and support in navigating resources, riders will experience improvements in health and well-being. This project will focus on individuals with less privileged socioeconomic status and racial and ethnic minority groups in communities of persistent poverty and Justice40-identified disadvantaged communities.