Description: This indicator provides information about medically underserved areas and/or populations (MUA/Ps), as determined by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Each designated area includes multiple census tracts.State Primary Care Offices submit applications to HRSA to designate specific areas within counties as MUA/Ps. The MUA/P designation is made using the Index of Medical Underservice (IMU) score, which includes four components: provider per 1,000 population, percent of population under poverty, percent of population ages 65 years and older, and infant mortality rate. The IMU scores ranges from 0-100. Lower scores indicate higher needs. An IMU score of 62 or below qualifies for designation as an MUA/P. Note: if an area is not designated as an MUA/P, it does not mean it is not underserved, only that an application has not been filed for the area and that official designation has not been given.The MUAs within Los Angeles County consist of groups of urban census tracts (namely service areas). MUPs have a shortage of primary care health services for a specific population within a geographic area. These populations may face economic, cultural, or language barriers to health care, such as: people experiencing homelessness, people who are low-income, people who are eligible for Medicaid, Native Americans, or migrant farm workers. All the MUPs that have been designated within Los Angeles County are among low-income populations of selected census tract groups. Due to the nature of the designation process, a census tract may be designated as both an MUA and an MUP and as multiple MUAs. MUA/P designations help establish health maintenance organizations or community health centers in high-need areas.For more information about the Community Health Profiles Data Initiative, please see the initiative homepage.
Copyright Text: Indicator generated by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Data for calculating this indicator came from the following sources: Health Resources & Services Admnistration, US Department of Health and Human Services, Medically Underserved Areas/Population (MUA/P) files, downloaded 06/14/23.