Abstract for: Modelling the Impacts of a “Free-ride” Micro-transit program on Social Determinants of Health in Holmes County.

The importance of social determinants in shaping population health has gained the attention of researchers and decision-makers in the last few decades. Often considered one of the poorest areas in the nation, Holmes County, MS, is facing barriers to social determinants of health (SDOH), most of which can be related to transportation accessibility. During Fall 2021, a “free-ride” micro-transit program was piloted in Holmes County to solve some of the barriers to SDOH. However, due to the dynamic complexity and inter-relationships that exist between underlying drivers of micro-transit programs and SDOH, it is difficult to assess the ways and the extent to which the micro-transit program can solve the transportation-related barriers to SDOH. To address this challenge, this study adopts a systems science approach to first understand the relationship between underlying drivers of the micro-transit program and SDOH and then to measure the social return on investment in such program in Holmes County.