Cross-border spatial accessibility of health care in the North-East Department of Haiti
Abstract Background The geographical accessibility of health services is an important issue especially in developing countries and even more for those sharing a border as for Haiti and the Dominican Republic. During the last 2 decades, numerous studies have explored the potential spatial access to h...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-10-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Health Geographics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12942-018-0156-6 |
| _version_ | 1811237966972977152 |
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| author | Dominique Mathon Philippe Apparicio Ugo Lachapelle |
| author_facet | Dominique Mathon Philippe Apparicio Ugo Lachapelle |
| author_sort | Dominique Mathon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The geographical accessibility of health services is an important issue especially in developing countries and even more for those sharing a border as for Haiti and the Dominican Republic. During the last 2 decades, numerous studies have explored the potential spatial access to health services within a whole country or metropolitan area. However, the impacts of the border on the access to health resources between two countries have been less explored. The aim of this paper is to measure the impact of the border on the accessibility to health services for Haitian people living close to the Haitian-Dominican border. Methods To do this, the widely employed enhanced two-step floating catchment area (E2SFCA) method is applied. Four scenarios simulate different levels of openness of the border. Statistical analysis are conducted to assess the differences and variation in the E2SFCA results. A linear regression model is also used to predict the accessibility to health care services according to the mentioned scenarios. Results The results show that the health professional-to-population accessibility ratio is higher for the Haitian side when the border is open than when it is closed, suggesting an important border impact on Haitians’ access to health care resources. On the other hand, when the border is closed, the potential accessibility for health services is higher for the Dominicans. Conclusion The openness of the border has a great impact on the spatial accessibility to health care for the population living next to the border and those living nearby a road network in good conditions. Those findings therefore point to the need for effective and efficient trans-border cooperation between health authorities and health facilities. Future research is necessary to explore the determinants of cross-border health care and offers an insight on the spatial revealed access which could lead to a better understanding of the patients’ behavior. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:33:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e6d8bcf9b7394657bb15532a2308db43 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1476-072X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:33:35Z |
| publishDate | 2018-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Health Geographics |
| spelling | doaj.art-e6d8bcf9b7394657bb15532a2308db432022-12-22T03:32:58ZengBMCInternational Journal of Health Geographics1476-072X2018-10-0117111510.1186/s12942-018-0156-6Cross-border spatial accessibility of health care in the North-East Department of HaitiDominique Mathon0Philippe Apparicio1Ugo Lachapelle2Environmental Equity Laboratory, INRS Centre Urbanisation Culture SociétéEnvironmental Equity Laboratory, INRS Centre Urbanisation Culture SociétéDépartement d’études urbaines et touristiques, Université du Québec à MontréalAbstract Background The geographical accessibility of health services is an important issue especially in developing countries and even more for those sharing a border as for Haiti and the Dominican Republic. During the last 2 decades, numerous studies have explored the potential spatial access to health services within a whole country or metropolitan area. However, the impacts of the border on the access to health resources between two countries have been less explored. The aim of this paper is to measure the impact of the border on the accessibility to health services for Haitian people living close to the Haitian-Dominican border. Methods To do this, the widely employed enhanced two-step floating catchment area (E2SFCA) method is applied. Four scenarios simulate different levels of openness of the border. Statistical analysis are conducted to assess the differences and variation in the E2SFCA results. A linear regression model is also used to predict the accessibility to health care services according to the mentioned scenarios. Results The results show that the health professional-to-population accessibility ratio is higher for the Haitian side when the border is open than when it is closed, suggesting an important border impact on Haitians’ access to health care resources. On the other hand, when the border is closed, the potential accessibility for health services is higher for the Dominicans. Conclusion The openness of the border has a great impact on the spatial accessibility to health care for the population living next to the border and those living nearby a road network in good conditions. Those findings therefore point to the need for effective and efficient trans-border cooperation between health authorities and health facilities. Future research is necessary to explore the determinants of cross-border health care and offers an insight on the spatial revealed access which could lead to a better understanding of the patients’ behavior.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12942-018-0156-6Spatial accessibilityHealth careEnhanced two-step floating catchment areaBorderHaitiDominican Republic |
| spellingShingle | Dominique Mathon Philippe Apparicio Ugo Lachapelle Cross-border spatial accessibility of health care in the North-East Department of Haiti International Journal of Health Geographics Spatial accessibility Health care Enhanced two-step floating catchment area Border Haiti Dominican Republic |
| title | Cross-border spatial accessibility of health care in the North-East Department of Haiti |
| title_full | Cross-border spatial accessibility of health care in the North-East Department of Haiti |
| title_fullStr | Cross-border spatial accessibility of health care in the North-East Department of Haiti |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cross-border spatial accessibility of health care in the North-East Department of Haiti |
| title_short | Cross-border spatial accessibility of health care in the North-East Department of Haiti |
| title_sort | cross border spatial accessibility of health care in the north east department of haiti |
| topic | Spatial accessibility Health care Enhanced two-step floating catchment area Border Haiti Dominican Republic |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12942-018-0156-6 |
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