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Impact of Pharmacy Deserts on Minority Health

Pharmacy deserts disproportionately impact the health of racial and ethnic minorities, particularly Black and Latino residents in segregated urban neighborhoods. Decreased access to pharmacies in these communities leads to reduced medication adherence, underuse of preventive services like vaccinations, and poorer management of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. For example, pharmacy closures are associated with older adults discontinuing essential cardiovascular medications like statins and anticoagulants. During the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacy deserts also hindered equitable vaccine distribution to vulnerable minority populations. These disparities compound existing structural inequities and social determinants of health, exacerbating the elevated burden of morbidity and mortality already faced by these disadvantaged groups.Impact of Pharmacy Deserts on Minority Health

Several policy solutions have been proposed to expand pharmacy access and mitigate pharmacoequity disparities in underserved communities.