Abstract
The equalization of medical services has received increasing attention, and improving the accessibility of medical facilities in rural areas is key for the realization of fairness with regard to medical services. This study studies the rural areas of Henan Province, China, and uses unincorporated villages as the basic unit. The spatial pattern of accessibility in rural areas was comprehensively analyzed via geographic information system spatial analysis and coefficient of variation. The spatial heterogeneity of relevant influencing factors was assessed by using the geographically weighted regression model. The results show that: (1) The distance cost of medical treatment in rural areas is normally distributed, and most areas are within a range of 2–6 km. (2) The accessibility in rural areas has clear spatial differences, is significantly affected by terrain, and shows characteristics of significant spatial agglomeration. The eastern and central regions have good spatial accessibility, while the western regions have poor spatial accessibility. Furthermore, regions with poor accessibility are mainly located in mountainous areas. (3) The spatial equilibrium of accessibility follows a pattern of gradual deterioration from east to west. The better accessibility-unbalanced type is mostly located in the center of Henan Province, while the poor accessibility-unbalanced type is concentrated in mountainous areas. (4) The area, elevation, residential density, and per capita industrial output are positively correlated with spatial accessibility, while road network density and population density are negatively correlated.
Highlights
With economic development and the improvement of the quality of life of residents, their demand for health and hygiene is continually increasing
The results showed that the coefficient of variation (CV) of the central and eastern regions of Henan Province are small, while the CV of the western region is large
Based on geographic information system (GIS) network analysis and using unincorporated villages as basic unit, this study explored the spatial characteristics of accessibility to medical facilities and its equilibrium in rural areas of Henan
Summary
With economic development and the improvement of the quality of life of residents, their demand for health and hygiene is continually increasing. The structure of medical and health resources in both urban and rural areas of China has been unreasonable [1]. The geographical spatial layout of medical and health institutions suffers from a lack of effective overall planning, and the spatial distribution of medical facilities is unbalanced. This results in an increasing inconsistency between the multi-level medical and health demand and the apparent shortage of medical facilities [2]. The inconvenience connected with seeking medical treatment has restricted the improvement of resident health in rural areas of China for a long time [4]. Increasing attention focuses on the equalization of medical services
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