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Enhancing Health Care Accessibility and Equity Through a Geoprocessing Toolbox for Spatial Accessibility Analysis:
Soheil Hashtarkhani1, David L Schwartz2, Arash Shaban-Nejad1
1Center for Biomedical Informatics, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States.
JMIR Formative Research
|February 21, 2024
Summary
New geoprocessing tools measure health service spatial accessibility. Urban areas show higher access to hemodialysis services than rural ones, highlighting key disparities.
Area of Science:
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Public Health
- Spatial Analysis of Health Services
Background:
- Health care access is vital for population health.
- Measuring spatial accessibility is key to understanding health care distribution and inequities.
Purpose of the Study:
- Developed a geoprocessing toolbox with Python scripts for ArcGIS Pro.
- To measure health service spatial accessibility using the 2-step floating catchment area method (classic and enhanced).
Main Methods:
- Tools incorporate distance buffers and travel time catchments.
- Created a travel time catchment tool compatible with local and online network data.
- Case study on hemodialysis accessibility in Tennessee, considering age-specific end-stage renal disease incidence rates.
Main Results:
- Free geoprocessing tools available via ArcGIS Online.
- Case study revealed significant disparities in hemodialysis service accessibility.
- Urban areas demonstrated higher accessibility scores than rural and suburban regions.
Conclusions:
- Geoprocessing tools support decision-making for equitable health care access.
- Empowers stakeholders to address health care distribution challenges.
- Facilitates improved spatial accessibility measurement for health services.
Keywords:
geographical information systemgeoprocessing toolhealth disparitieshealth equityhealth services managementhemodialysis servicesspatial accessibilityMore Related Videos
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