Towards healthcare access equality: Understanding spatial accessibility to healthcare services for wheelchair users

IF 7.1 1区地球科学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES Computers Environment and Urban Systems Pub Date : 2023-12-23 DOI:10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2023.102069

Kun Chen , Pengxiang Zhao , Kun Qin , Mei-Po Kwan , Niman Wang

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Abstract

Considering that the number of wheelchair users is on the rise at the global level due to population aging, it is crucial to secure their rights to have adequate access to healthcare services. Spatial accessibility to healthcare services has been well recognized to influence people's health. However, research on healthcare accessibility of wheelchair users is scarce. This study proposes a barrier-free path planning method to estimate wheelchair users' travel time as the measurement of their accessibility. A study on Wuhan, China, is conducted to evaluate the spatial accessibility to healthcare services for wheelchair users and compare it with the general population. The results show that: (1) the levels of healthcare accessibility are unevenly distributed across the city center and the periphery of the study area for both wheelchair users and the general population, while wheelchair users have lower accessibility overall; (2) both similarities and differences in hospital and travel mode selection to access healthcare services co-exist in the study area between the two groups; (3) significant inequality in healthcare accessibility is observed in Hongshan and Qingshan districts. The research findings are beneficial for policymakers to further improve healthcare accessibility and its equality by optimizing the allocation of hospital resources and barrier-free public transport.

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实现医疗平等：了解轮椅使用者获得医疗服务的空间可达性

考虑到由于人口老龄化，轮椅使用者的数量在全球范围内呈上升趋势，确保他们充分获得医疗保健服务的权利至关重要。人们已充分认识到，医疗保健服务的空间可达性会影响人们的健康。然而，有关轮椅使用者医疗服务无障碍的研究却很少。本研究提出了一种无障碍路径规划方法，以估算轮椅使用者的出行时间作为衡量其无障碍程度的标准。本研究以中国武汉市为研究对象，评估了轮椅使用者获得医疗服务的空间可达性，并与普通人群进行了比较。研究结果表明(1) 轮椅使用者和普通人群的医疗服务可及性水平在研究区域的市中心和外围分布不均，而轮椅使用者的总体可及性较低；(2) 在研究区域内，两个群体在选择医院和出行方式以获取医疗服务方面既有相似之处，也存在差异；(3) 在洪山区和青山区观察到医疗服务可及性的显著不平等。研究结果有利于政策制定者通过优化医院资源配置和无障碍公共交通进一步改善医疗服务的可及性及其平等性。

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来源期刊

Computers Environment and Urban Systems Multiple-

CiteScore

13.30

自引率

7.40%

发文量

111

审稿时长

32 days

期刊介绍： Computers, Environment and Urban Systemsis an interdisciplinary journal publishing cutting-edge and innovative computer-based research on environmental and urban systems, that privileges the geospatial perspective. The journal welcomes original high quality scholarship of a theoretical, applied or technological nature, and provides a stimulating presentation of perspectives, research developments, overviews of important new technologies and uses of major computational, information-based, and visualization innovations. Applied and theoretical contributions demonstrate the scope of computer-based analysis fostering a better understanding of environmental and urban systems, their spatial scope and their dynamics.