Exploring Geographic Variation of Mental Health Risk and Service Utilization of Doctors and Hospitals in Toronto: A Shared Component Spatial Modeling Approach

Jane Law and Christopher Perlman
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Jane Law: School of Planning, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Christopher Perlman: School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: Mental Health has been known to vary geographically. Different rates of utilization of mental health services in local areas reflect geographic variation of mental health and complexity of health care. Variations and inequalities in how the health care system addresses risks are two critical issues for addressing population mental health. This study examines these issues by analyzing the utilization of mental health services in Toronto at the neighbourhood level. We adopted a shared component spatial modeling approach that allows simultaneous analysis of two main health service utilizations: doctor visits and hospitalizations related to mental health conditions. Our results reflect a geographic variation of both types of mental health service utilization across neighbourhoods in Toronto. We identified hot and cold spots of mental health risks that are common to both or specific to only one type of health service utilization. Based on the evidence found, we discuss intervention strategies, focusing on the hotspots and provision of health services about doctors and hospitals, to improve mental health for the neighbourhoods. Limitations of the study and further research directions are also discussed.

Keywords: health inequality; hospital admissions; physicians; Bayesian spatial analysis; geographic information systems (GIS); health services; shared component models (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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