Optimizing spatial distribution of parks based on the preference for park types: A case study with an improved two-step floating catchment area method

IntroductionInaccessibility due to terrain and lack of transport leaves mothers travelling for long hours before reaching a facility to deliver a child. In the present article we analyzed the issue of spatial inaccessibility and inequity of maternal health services in the Indian Sundarbans where complex topography and repeated climatic adversities make access to health services very difficult.MethodsWe based the article on the health-GIS study conducted in the Patharpratima Block of the Sundarbans in the year 2012. The region has 87 villages that are inhabited, of which 54 villages are in the deltaic (river locked) region and 33 villages are located in the non-deltaic region of the block. We mapped all public and private maternal health facilities and road and water transport network. For measuring inaccessibility, we use the enhanced two-step floating catchment area method (E2SFCA). For assessing inequity in spatial access, we developed an area-based socioeconomic score and constructed a concentration curve to depict inequity. We used ARC GIS 10.3.1 and Stata 11 software for our analysis.ResultsThe maternal health facilities are primarily located in the non-deltaic region of the block. On an average it takes 33.81 min to reach the closest maternal health facility. Fifty-two villages out of eighty seven villages have access scores less than the score calculated using Indian Primary Health Standards. Ten villages cannot access any maternal health facility; twenty-six villages have access scores of less than one doctor for 1000 pregnant women; fifty-six villages have access scores less than the block average of 3.54. The access scores are lower among villages in the deltaic region compared to the non-deltaic region. The concentration curve is below the line of equality showing that access scores were lower among villages that were socio-economically disadvantaged.ConclusionsMaternal health facilities are not equitably accessible to the populations that are disadvantaged and living in the remote pockets of the study region. Provision of a referral transport system along with a resilient infrastructure of roads is critical to improve access in these islands.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12939-016-0376-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Modeling job accessibility using online map data: An extended two-step floating catchment area method with multiple travel modes

A commuter-based two-step floating catchment area method for measuring spatial accessibility of daycare centers

Improvement of the equality of geographical allocation of limited health-care resources requires an accurate evaluation of spatial accessibility of the facilities. The adoption of appropriate population distribution measures is one of the leading factors affecting such an evaluation. Using primary health-care institutions in Hainan, China as an example, this study aimed to explore the disparities embedded in spatial accessibility evaluations based on six common measures of population distribution, namely community/ village population (VillagePop), average population distribution (AveragePop), population distribution by night-time light intensity (NighttimelightPop) together with the public population databases LandScan, WorldPop and PoiPop for construction of the weights. The enhanced two-step floating catchment area method, two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Dunnett test, root mean square error and the mean absolute error were employed to assess and compare spatial accessibilities based on these different population distribution measures. The spatial accessibility of primary health-care institutions in Hainan was found to vary when plotted using the various population distribution measures mentioned. As indicated by the statistical outcomes of both ANOVA and the Dunnett test, using the spatial accessibility calculated by VillagePop as reference, those calculated by AveragePop and PoiPop were found to be significantly different. In addition, the spatial accessibilities calculated by AveragePop and PoiPop demonstrated higher error rates in the identification of underserved areas compared with the reference. Considering the limitations of public population databases, the adoption of night-time light data is highly recommended for estimating population distribution in the absence of high-resolution data.

Measuring multi-activities accessibility and equity with accessibility-oriented development strategies

How does enclosed private residential green space impact accessibility equity in urban regions? A case study in Shenzhen, China

As an important component of urban disaster prevention and mitigation systems, the balance and equity of emergency shelter distribution can be measured based on spatial accessibility utilizing the two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method. However, there are some issues in previous studies on emergency shelter accessibility evaluated by the 2SFCA method: (1) the high discretization of population distribution data and the travel cost being measured base on Euclidean distance; (2) ignoring the difference between shelter and population catchment sizes. To address these issues, we propose an improved 2SFCA method that computes the shelter and population catchments respectively to evaluate the emergency shelter accessibility in Changchun, China. We compare the proposed improved 2SFCA method to the original 2SFCA method. The results indicate that the catchment size and shelter accessibility calculated by the proposed method are more realistic and objective. The improved 2SFCA method is applicable method for evaluating the shelter accessibility and can provide advice for the planning and management of emergency shelters in the future.

Reassessing urban park accessibility: an improved two-step floating catchment area method based on the physical activity services perspective

Civil administration departments require reliable measures of accessibility so that residential care facility shortage areas can be accurately identified. Building on previous research, this paper proposes an enhanced variable two-step floating catchment area (EV2SFCA) method that determines facility catchment sizes by dynamically summing the population around the facility until the facility-to-population ratio (FPR) is less than the FPR threshold (FPRT). To minimize the errors from the supply and demand catchments being mismatched, this paper proposes that the facility and population catchment areas must both contain the other location in calculating accessibility. A case study evaluating spatial accessibility to residential care facilities in Nanjing demonstrates that the proposed method is effective in accurately determining catchment sizes and identifying details in the variation of spatial accessibility. The proposed method can be easily applied to assess other public healthcare facilities, and can provide guidance to government departments on issues of spatial planning and identification of shortage and excess areas.

The 2018 MISSION Act sought to improve Veterans' access to primary care by allowing Veterans living more than 30min from VA care to utilize non-VA clinics. The impact of this legislation may vary for rural compared to urban Veterans. Assess the extent to which the 2018 MISSION Act facilitates spatial access to primary care for Veterans living in rural versus urban Oregon. We identified locations of all VA and non-VA primary care clinics in Oregon then calculated 30-min drive-time catchment areas from census tract centroids to the nearest clinics. We compared measures of spatial access to primary care for Veterans in rural, micropolitan, and urban areas. American Community Survey data representing Oregon adults. Two measures of spatial access focusing on the number of clinics (supply), and an access index based on the two-step floating catchment area method (2SFCA) which accounts for number of clinics (supply) and population size (demand). Compared to only 13.0% of rural Veterans, 83.6% of urban Veterans lived within 30min' drive time of VA primary care. Given the MISSION Act's eligibility criteria, 81.6% of rural Veterans and ~ 97% of urban and micropolitan Veterans had spatial access to primary care. When accounting for both supply and demand, rural areas had significantly higher access scores (p < 0.05) compared to urban areas. Using MISSION Act guidelines for Veteran access to primary care, rural compared to urban Veterans had less spatial access based on clinic number (supply), but more access when considering clinic number and population size (supply and demand). Geographic Information System (GIS) spatial techniques may help to assess changes in access to care. However, these methods do not incorporate all dimensions of access and work is needed to understand whether utilization and quality of care is improved.

Green space in urban areas is one of the most critical infrastructures for the well-being of residents, and its spatial accessibility configuration is a key indicator of urban planning layout and ecological civilization construction. Using the Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (G2SFCA) method, K-means cluster analysis, and Kriging spatial interpolation, this study examines the spatial characteristics of green space accessibility in the Hongkou District, focusing on the relationship between “green space-community” supply. The findings indicate the following: (1) green space accessibility in Hongkou District decreases as the level of green spaces decreases. Higher levels of accessibility are associated with smaller variations in spatial distribution. (2) The green space accessibility in Hongkou District is affected by the surrounding large green space. Compared to other areas, the community green spaces near Lu Xun Park and Peace Park have higher accessibility. (3) The green space accessibility in Hongkou District is impacted by the mismatch between population density and green spaces. An overlay analysis of accessibility and population density reveals that high accessibility areas have average or low-average population density. Based on the results of the green space accessibility analysis, recommendations are proposed to optimize the green space layout in Hongkou District from the perspective of spatial justice. These suggestions are aimed at promoting the equalization of green space services in Hongkou District, improving the overall level of urban green space services, with a view to improving the quality of urban living environment and creating a green and livable urban area.

Towards healthy China 2030: Modeling health care accessibility with patient referral.

The global aging trend is becoming increasingly pronounced, and the accessibility and equity of older adult care facilities directly influence the health and quality of life of the older adult population, thus representing a critical issue in public health research and policy-making. Using Lin'an District, Hangzhou as an illustrative case, this research examines urban-rural integrated areas specifically, addressing the persistent challenge of supply-demand mismatches in older adult care facility allocation and seeking to optimize their spatial configuration. A comprehensive analytical framework based on the multi-modal two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method was established, integrating the Gini coefficient, Lorenz curve, and local spatial autocorrelation analysis to systematically evaluate the spatial accessibility and equity of older adult care facilities. The results demonstrate significant spatial heterogeneity in facility accessibility, revealing a clear distribution pattern characterized by higher accessibility in the eastern urban core and markedly lower accessibility in western rural regions, thereby highlighting notable supply-demand imbalances between urban and rural contexts. Furthermore, the application of local spatial autocorrelation effectively identified key regions characterized by pronounced inequities, notably rural areas in the west suffering severe resource deficiencies and transitional urban-rural zones where supply-demand conflicts prominently occur. The study further investigates critical factors underlying accessibility and equity disparities, including differences in transportation infrastructure, uneven older adult population distributions, and hierarchical classifications of service facilities. Ultimately, the findings provide valuable empirical insights and policy recommendations applicable to urban-rural integration contexts globally, contributing meaningfully to the advancement of age-friendly societies.

Background: The global aging population has raised concerns about the fair distribution of elderly care resources. China, as the largest developing country, has made efforts to address population aging challenges. However, equitable distribution of elderly care resources remains a concern. This study analyzed the spatial layout and accessibility of elderly care service facilities (ECSFs) in Xiamen City to improve resource allocation and enhance the elderly care system in China. The findings provide valuable insights for other developing countries and regions seeking to improve their own elderly care resource allocation. Methods: Xiamen City was chosen as the research area due to its unique geographical location and advanced information technology infrastructure. The study examined the spatial distribution, accessibility, and equity of ECSFs. Using Python, point of interest (POI) data were collected and evaluated using the kernel density method and two-step floating catchment area method. Spatial autocorrelation analysis identified areas of aggregation and dispersion in ECSF accessibility. Results: Xiamen currently has 660 ECSFs, including nursing homes, adult day care centers, home care agencies, and rural elderly care homes. The analysis revealed spatial disparities, with ECSFs clustering primarily in the central area of Xiamen Island. Significant differences in accessibility were found among the four types of ECSFs. Spatial autocorrelation analysis identified cold and hot spot areas, indicating variations in accessibility across regions. Conclusion: Xiamen City has made progress in allocating elderly care resources and constructing service facilities. However, equity in resource allocation remains a concern. Areas with limited accessibility were identified, leading to unequal access to elderly care resources and timely physical care. To address these challenges, decision-making departments should consider increasing facilities, improving transportation, enhancing macro planning, and improving facility service quality and accessibility. These measures will optimize ECSF accessibility and promote equitable distribution of elderly care resources.

Parks, as a major infrastructure that provide public service for urban residents, play a vital role in promoting urban livability and public health. Under the framework of spatial equity, more sophisticated accessibility methods were used on measuring urban park accessibility such as multi-mode 2SFCA. However, the accessibility of residential areas near parks was seriously underestimated by using the multi-mode 2SFCA method. Thus, this study aimed to propose an improved multi-mode 2SFCA method to measure urban park accessibility with a more appropriate approach, by taking residential areas of Tianjin central city as the spatial unit. The results indicate that all residential areas can obtain urban park accessibility, but the spatial distribution of urban park accessibility is heterogeneous. The numerical value of urban park accessibility decreases as the travel time from residential areas to urban parks increases; it is shown that the proposed method can provide a more realistic evaluation compared to the traditional multi-mode 2SFCA method. This study provides a comprehensive and realistic insight into acquainting with urban park accessibility and helps urban planners formulate effective policies and strategies to ease spatial imbalance.