An Introduction to Primary Care in Underserved Populations: Definitions, Scope, and Challenges.

This article addresses the scope of the problem primary care physicians face when caring for the underserved, both nationally and internationally. It touches on the statistics used to define medically underserved communities, the pervasiveness of poverty, and how primary care physician shortages may soon reach a crisis point. The definitions of socioeconomic status, allostatic load, and structural violence are also reviewed.