A spatial-temporal study of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by type: exploring localization economies implications in urban areas in Ontario.

Abstract

This study adds to the geography of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) literature by comparing the spatial-temporal patterns of five types of CAM within 19 cities in light of clustering benefits from localization economies. CAM office location points and nearest neighbour, standard distance, local spatial autocorrelation, and Mann-Whitney analyses are utilized to test potential clustering tendencies of CAM types over time. It is shown that 'within' (chiropractors near chiropractors, for example) and 'amongst' (chiropractors proximate to other CAM types) spatial clustering occurs in 2007 and 2017. This implies the persistent influence of localization economies. Continued clustering of CAM within urban locations already replete with CAM offices will widen spatial disparities through time. This has implications for policy-makers concerned with dispersing medical resources over space for better accessibility.