Researchers at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences reported on Mar. 13 that many older Americans are willing to travel long distances for medical care, sometimes much farther than policymakers and experts expect. The findings come from a study conducted by the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR), which surveyed a nationally representative group of adults aged 65 and older.
The willingness of seniors to travel is important as hospitals close in some areas, healthcare practices consolidate, and telehealth expands. The study suggests that while many older adults are prepared to make long trips for both routine and specialized care, socioeconomic status influences how far individuals are willing or able to go.
According to the research published in JAMA Network Open, respondents said they would tolerate about an hour or more of travel time, especially when seeking specialty care. "This shows older adults place a high value on access to care," said Soeren Mattke, professor (research) of economics and director of the Brain Health Observatory at CESR. "They are often willing to travel significant distances before delaying or forgoing care." However, Mattke noted that these averages conceal important differences among groups.
Jeremy Burke, senior economist at CESR and first author of the study, said those gaps matter for health equity. The research found that older adults living in large cities were less likely to be willing to travel long durations compared with their counterparts elsewhere.
The study also highlights implications for telehealth services as well as transportation policy. Programs offering ride services, improved public transit options, or partnerships with community organizations could help vulnerable seniors access needed medical appointments.
The data comes from the Understanding America Study administered by CESR. Researchers surveyed 2,650 adults age 65 or older between April 23 and June 8, 2025 about their willingness to travel for different types of medical appointments. In addition to Mattke and Burke, other authors include Tabasa Ozawa, Ying Liu, and Wei Ye from the USC Brain Health Observatory at USC Dornsife. The work was funded by grants from the National Institute on Aging.
