Geographic Information Systems (GIS) demonstrating primary care needs for a transitioning hispanic community

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Geospatial Analysis
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The Hispanic population is the largest and fastest-growing minority in the U.S.
• Charlotte, NC, experienced the 4th fastest Hispanic community growth from 1990-2000.
• Understanding healthcare utilization is crucial for improving primary care access for this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify geographic areas with limited primary care access for the Hispanic community in Charlotte, NC.
• To inform the design of targeted interventions to improve healthcare access.
• To reduce reliance on emergency departments for primary care needs.

Main Methods:

• Applied the Multiple Attribute Primary Care Targeting Strategy.
• Utilized patient- and community-level data including socioeconomic status, population density, and insurance status.
• Created a composite geospatial map weighting key variables to identify priority areas.

Main Results:

• Identified specific geographic locations where Hispanic community members would benefit most from increased primary care access.
• The composite map highlighted areas with significant barriers to appropriate primary care services.

Conclusions:

• The Multiple Attribute Primary Care Targeting Strategy effectively identified areas facing primary care access barriers for Hispanic immigrants.
• These identified areas can be targeted for interventions to enhance primary care access and decrease emergency department utilization.
• The developed geospatial model allows for ongoing monitoring of intervention effectiveness.