Geographical information system mapping of paediatric referrals to the community paediatric dental services in Birmingham, UK

Abstract

Aims To map the origin of paediatric referrals to the Community Dental Services (CDS) using geographical information systems (GIS). This is to assess the spatial relationship between areas of high referral density in relation to measures of deprivation according to the English Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019 (IMD) and subsequently recommend the allocation of resources to areas of need. Materials and methods Information from 4,146 paediatric referrals to the CDS over an 18-month period between April 2017 and October 2018 was collated and mapped using the GIS software (ArcGIS), allowing for analysis of data and identification of patterns. Maps of both IMD and decayed, missing or filled teeth scores were generated using the Indices of Deprivation Interactive Dashboard and Public Health Profiles mapping resources. Both paediatric referral data and deprivation score maps were then superimposed to create a combined map, permitting identification of spatial relationships. Results Most patients were externally referred to the CDS with three main triage outcomes: Level 2, Level 3a and Level 3b care. The maps produced showed high densities of referrals for patients residing in areas with the highest deprivation scores. Conclusion Such information may be of use to managed clinical networks when planning locations of healthcare facilities.