Spatial Vertical Equity in Public General Hospitals: Towards a Sustainable Healthcare System

Peiheng Yu, Izzy Yi Jian, Esther H. K. Yung, Edwin H. W. Chan, Man Sing Wong and Yiyun Chen
Additional contact information
Peiheng Yu: Department of Building and Real Estate, Research Institute of Sustainable Urban Development, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
Izzy Yi Jian: School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
Esther H. K. Yung: Department of Building and Real Estate, Research Institute of Sustainable Urban Development, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
Edwin H. W. Chan: Department of Building and Real Estate, Research Institute of Sustainable Urban Development, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
Man Sing Wong: Department of Land Surveying and Geo–Informatics, Research Institute for Land and Space, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
Yiyun Chen: School of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 8, 1-15

Abstract: The accessibility of public general hospitals is essential for the well-being of urban residents and for more equitable urban planning. However, public general hospitals and the associated spatial vertical equity are still not well known in developing countries. The objective of our study is to propose a theoretical framework to investigate the accessibility of public general hospitals and spatial vertical equity based on demographic dimensions. The main urban area of Wuhan is a suitable and representative example to explore this issue. An enhanced Gaussian two-step floating catchment area method, the Lorenz curve, and the Gini coefficient are employed in this study. The results indicate significant spatial heterogeneity in the accessibility of public general hospitals due to the dramatic transformation of urban planning and heterogeneous spatial structure. From a spatial vertical equity perspective, the spatial distribution of most public general hospitals does not take into account communities with a high proportion of minors and seniors. Compared with seniors, minors face more serious inequities in access to healthcare. The spatial distribution of only a few public general hospitals is prospective and inclined. Evidence-based policy implications are portrayed as a more equitable urban form and a sustainable healthcare system.

Keywords: public general hospitals; spatial equity; accessibility; enhanced Gaussian two-step floating catchment area method; sustainable urban planning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/8/1498/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/8/1498/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:8:p:1498-:d:1204822

Access Statistics for this article

Land is currently edited by Ms. Carol Ma

More articles in Land from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().