Access to Palliative Care Services in British Columbia
Author Information
Author(s): Cinnamon Jonathan, Schuurman Nadine, Crooks Valorie A
Primary Institution: Simon Fraser University
Hypothesis
How can spatial access to specialized palliative care services be determined using GIS?
Conclusion
Improving spatial access to palliative care services can help reduce travel times for patients and healthcare workers.
Supporting Evidence
- 81% of the province's population lives within one hour of at least one specialized palliative care service.
- Spatial access to palliative care varies significantly by health authority.
- The Northern Health Authority has the lowest access, with only 36% of its population within one hour of services.
Takeaway
This study looked at how far people in British Columbia have to travel to get specialized palliative care, and found that many people live too far away from these services.
Methodology
The study calculated travel times to specialized palliative care services and linked population data to assess accessibility.
Limitations
The study may overlook the contributions of informal caregivers and does not account for demand for services.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on the population of British Columbia, Canada.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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