Keywords

Healthcare, Access to Care, Community Nursing, Underserved Communities, Health Equity, Central Florida

Abstract

Access to healthcare depends on more than whether healthcare services are available. A person’s ZIP code, income, education, transportation options, health literacy, and neighborhood resources can all affect whether care is reached at the right time and in an appropriate setting. This literature review examines healthcare access and the role of community nursing outreach in underserved ZIP codes across Central Florida. The review synthesizes current literature on social determinants of health, geographic disparities, medically underserved populations, and community-based nursing interventions to better understand how these factors shape access to care. Across the literature, poverty, limited transportation, lower educational attainment, neighborhood conditions, health literacy, and provider distribution are repeatedly linked to differences in healthcare access and health outcomes. The evidence also shows that community nursing outreach can reduce some barriers by bringing preventive services, health education, screenings, referrals, and connections to local resources into communities where access is limited. At the same time, outreach cannot fully resolve healthcare disparities on its own. Broader social and structural conditions, including poverty, transportation barriers, and unequal resource distribution, must also be addressed. By focusing on underserved communities in Central Florida, this review connects existing evidence to a local context and shows how community nursing outreach can support wider efforts to improve access. The findings clarify the factors contributing to healthcare disparities and support continued development of community-based strategies that help make healthcare access more equitable.

Thesis Completion Year

2026

Thesis Completion Semester

Summer

Thesis Chair

Peralta, Heather

College

College of Nursing

Department

Nursing

Thesis Discipline

Nursing

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus Access

1 year

Campus Location

UCF Online

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