Journal article
Geographical accessibility to primary health care in Finland – Grid-based multimodal assessment
Applied geography (Sevenoaks), v 136, 102583
Nov 2021
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Geographic accessibility of health services is one of the key dimensions affecting health care access, utilisation and may impact population health. We analysed countrywide space-time accessibility to primary health services by private car and multimodal walk-ride-walk travel chains of public transport in Finland. The analysis utilises register-based population grid cell data at 250m × 250 m resolution, road network with scheduled public transport data and geocoded locations of four types of primary health service. Our results show that the Finnish population reaches primary health services well, also by public transport, which is most beneficial in urban fringes, where health services are not immediately available. However, accessibility of services may be limited for some segments of the population, such as carless households located in remote areas, and teenagers who access health services independently. Distinct regional differences exist in accessibility, particularly in rural areas. The continuous pressure to reduce the number of service facilities may further deter service accessibility of these segments of the population. As this kind of transport disadvantage may create or reinforce social disadvantage and exclusion, as well as health inequalities, ensuring an equal access to primary health services is important.
•Space-time accessibility to health services was measured with high resolution.•Car and multimodal walk-ride-walk travel chains to health services were analysed.•Finnish population reaches primary health services well, also by public transport.•Distinct differences exist in service accessibility, particularly in rural areas.•Remote carless households or self-traveling teenagers may have poor accessibility.
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Details
- Title
- Geographical accessibility to primary health care in Finland – Grid-based multimodal assessment
- Creators
- Ossi Kotavaara - University of OuluAleksi Nivala - Finnish Environment InstituteTiina Lankila - University of OuluTiina Huotari - University of OuluEric Delmelle - University of North Carolina, United StatesHarri Antikainen - University of Oulu
- Publication Details
- Applied geography (Sevenoaks), v 136, 102583
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Urban Health Collaborative
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000708119000003
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85117234412
- Other Identifier
- 991021874544704721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Geography