Rural food accessibility: An analysis of travel impedance and the risk of potential grocery closures

This paper examines the potential spatial impact of grocery store closures and their impact on the food accessibility of the population of one rural county in Southern Illinois. Additionally, we offer public health officials a simple method for locating populations at particular risk of food inacces...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied geography (Sevenoaks) 2014-09, Vol.53, p.1-10
Main Authors: Yeager, Charles D., Gatrell, Jay D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Access
Food
GIS
Rural
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Summary:This paper examines the potential spatial impact of grocery store closures and their impact on the food accessibility of the population of one rural county in Southern Illinois. Additionally, we offer public health officials a simple method for locating populations at particular risk of food inaccessibility in the event of a grocery store closure. A model is introduced for weighting different types of food outlets based on the types of food products offered to potential customers. By using a weighted system for measuring different types of food outlets, individual addresses, and a novel method of visualizing food access, we find an improved means of locating areas of risk in a fluid food-access landscape. [Display omitted] •Weighting outlets in access research creates an improved picture of food access.•Using individual addresses improves the view of access over other spatial units.•Knowing areas of risk lets officials serve people better when food access changes.
ISSN:0143-6228
1873-7730
DOI:10.1016/j.apgeog.2014.05.018