Primary care shortage has an outsized impact on rural Missouri

Primary care shortage has an outsized impact on rural Missouri

All but seven Missouri counties have shortages of primary care providers. Those mostly rural counties that lack providers see higher rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer or kidney problems, as well as higher rates of tobacco usag (Ariel Skelley/Getty Images).Communities across the country are suffering from a lack of primary care providers, and Missouri is no exception. In fact, it ranks fourth worst nationwide in terms of its prim…