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Assessing spatial accessibility to maternity units in Shenzhen, China
Peige Song1, Yajie Zhu, Xi Mao
1Department of Child, Adolescent and Women's Health, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
Plos One
|July 30, 2013
Summary
Spatial accessibility to maternity units (MUs) in Shenzhen is uneven, with critical gaps in Nanshan and Longgang districts. Improving equitable access for all pregnant women is crucial for future healthcare planning.
Area of Science:
- Urban planning
- Healthcare accessibility
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Background:
- Rapid urbanization in Shenzhen is increasing the pregnant population.
- Serving a growing number of pregnant women presents challenges in reducing spatial access disparities to maternity units (MUs).
- Understanding current MU accessibility is vital for future resource allocation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the current spatial accessibility to maternity units (MUs) in Shenzhen.
- To compare spatial accessibility between public and private MUs.
- To inform policy for rational allocation of MUs.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method.
- Employed Geographic Information System (GIS) for spatial analysis.
- Integrated pregnant population data with MUs data.
Main Results:
- Acceptable MU accessibility was found along the traditional border management line within 20 km.
- Identified critical areas with poor accessibility, including western Nanshan and eastern Longgang districts.
- Demonstrated a statistically significant difference in spatial accessibility between public and private MUs.
Conclusions:
- Significant efforts are needed to enhance the equity of spatial accessibility to MUs in Shenzhen.
- Future MUs siting and allocation strategies must prioritize maximizing spatial accessibility for all pregnant women.
- Policy recommendations focus on equitable distribution of public and private maternity services.
