Spatial Access to Medical Services in the Underdeveloped Region of Northwestern China: A Case Study in Lanzhou City

Wantong Xu, Fuguang Zhang, Biao Zeng, Taibao Yang and Hui Wang
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Wantong Xu: College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Fuguang Zhang: College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Biao Zeng: College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Taibao Yang: College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Hui Wang: College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 23, 1-14

Abstract: Research on the spatial access to medical services has become a hot topic in recent years. The representative provincial capital in the underdeveloped region of northwestern China, Lanzhou, was selected for the research area. In this paper, methods such as the two-step floating catchment area and ArcGIS network analysis are used to analyze the geographic spatial accessibility of medical services and differences of spatial access between urban and rural areas in Lanzhou city. The results show that 1. Areas in General and below grade of accessibility account for most of Lanzhou city. Therefore, the spatial accessibility of whole Lanzhou city is comparatively unsatisfactory. It shows a tendency of the north region to be worse than south region, and areas in parts of the main districts, parts of HG, and other tiny minority show Great grade of accessibility, and most of other areas distribute in poorer grade of accessibility, especially the surrounding mountainous region. 2. There are obvious differences in accessibility between urban and rural regions, mainly reflected in that residents and areas are basically districted in the Great and Good grade in the urban region, while almost 75% of the population and 35% of the areas are distributed in the Great and Good grade, and nearly 25% of the residents and 65% of the areas are still in the unsatisfactory accessibility grade in the rural region. According to the results, the researchers put forward corresponding suggestions to improve the current situation, which are roughly as follows: The construction of hospitals and primary health care should be strengthened in the rural region, especially the construction of township health centers and health stations. High-class hospitals are needed in Honggu district, Yongdeng county, Yuzhong county, and Gaolan county, while the medical capacity and facility grade of existing hospitals should be improved to satisfy the demand of local residents. Meanwhile, rural areas should strengthen the construction of road networks.

Keywords: two-step floating catchment area; network analyst; spatial access to medical services; urban-rural disparities; undeveloped region of northwestern China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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