Racial disparities in access to pharmacy may lead to inequitable COVID-19 vaccine access

In 2016, I conducted a retrospective study examining whether access to pharmacies varies across Pennsylvania counties based on their racial or ethnic composition. The study results highlighted racial disparities in access to pharmacy in Pennsylvania. The study findings showed that 

1. Only one pharmacy per square mile in five counties with the highest percentage of black people in contrast to 24 pharmacies per square mile in five counties with the highest percentage of white people
2. Pharmacies in five counties with the highest percentage of black people serve more residents (4,479 residents per pharmacy) than pharmacies in five counties with the highest percentage of white people (4,330 residents per pharmacy)

Recently, CNN cited above research in their report which highlighted that racial disparities in access to pharmacy may affect access to COVID-19 vaccines in underserved communities because pharmacies have a major role to play in expanding access to COVID-19 vaccines.