[Analysis of Healthcare Provision for Cardiological, Pneumological and Obstetric Illnesses in Hesse: Regional...

Individuals with cardiological and pneumological diseases, as well as pregnant women, are particularly vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change. Studies indicate that these groups utilize healthcare services more frequently during periods of heat and increased air pollution. Within the LOEWE-Schwerpunkt "HABITAT", this study aimed to assess the current healthcare situation in Hesse in the fields of cardiology, pneumology and obstetrics with a focus on the availability of outpatient and inpatient healthcare services accessible within reasonable travel time.

This study is a regional, descriptive, tertiary data analysis with spatial accessibility analysis. Publicly available data were used to link disease prevalences with demographic variables (notably age and social deprivation) and healthcare facility accessibility.

Marked regional disparities were observed in the prevalences of COPD, bronchial asthma, heart failure and coronary heart disease across districts. The incidence of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy also varied regionally. The results showed that pneumological and cardiological diseases were particularly prevalent in districts such as the Vogelsbergkreis or Hersfeld-Rotenburg, which are characterized by higher average age and higher social deprivation. These regions also exhibited a lower density of healthcare facilities. Except for a few rural communities in Vogelsbergkreis, all outpatient healthcare facilities could be reached by car within 30 minutes.

Overall, the number of healthcare facilities and their accessibility by car in Hesse is adequate. Demographic and socioeconomic disparities further highlight that car accessibility alone is insufficient, particularly for population groups reliant on public transport.