Health Access and Geography: A Study in Leicestershire
Author Information
Author(s): Alexis J Comber, Chris Brunsdon, Robert Radburn
Primary Institution: Department of Geography, University of Leicester
Hypothesis
How do public perceptions of access to health facilities relate to geographic distance, health status, and car ownership?
Conclusion
Access difficulties to health facilities are significantly influenced by health status and car ownership, while geographic distance's impact varies by service type.
Supporting Evidence
- Long Term Illness significantly predicts access difficulty to GPs.
- Non-Car Ownership increases the odds of access difficulty to both GPs and hospitals.
- Geographic distance is a significant predictor for access to GPs but not for hospitals.
Takeaway
People find it harder to get to health services if they are not well or don't have a car, and how far away the service is matters differently for different types of health facilities.
Methodology
Data was collected through an attitudes survey and analyzed using logistic generalized linear models and Geographically Weighted Regression.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in perceptions of access due to personal experiences and the types of facilities respondents considered.
Limitations
The study did not capture reasons for access difficulties or account for age and gender, and relied on perceptions of access rather than actual usage.
Participant Demographics
{"age_distribution":{"18 to 24":145,"25 to 44":1839,"45 to 64":3187,"65 to 74":1561,"75 to 84":1104,"85+":348},"health_status":{"very_good":2377,"good":3622,"fair":1958,"bad":333,"very_bad":60},"disability":{"limiting":1913,"non_limiting":911,"none":5425},"gender":{"female":4816,"male":3530},"ethnicity":{"white_british":7949,"bme":416}}
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Confidence Interval
{"lower":1.49,"upper":2.9}
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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