Evaluating potential spatial access to trauma center care by severely injured patients

Injuries are a major public health problem around the world. Previous research has suggested that providing prompt access to specialized trauma center care may greatly improve the health outcomes of trauma patients. In this paper, a geographic information system (GIS) method is used to examine poten...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health & place 2013-01, Vol.19, p.131-137
Main Authors: Lawson, Fiona L., Schuurman, Nadine, Oliver, Lisa, Nathens, Avery B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Access to health care
Biological and medical sciences
Canada - epidemiology
Databases, Factual
Death
Environment. Living conditions
Geographic information system
Geographic Information Systems
Geographical information systems
Health care
Health Services Accessibility
Health status
Health technology assessment
Hospitalization
Hospitalization - statistics & numerical data
Hospitals
Humans
Medical research
Medical sciences
Medical treatment
Mortality
Mortality, Premature
Patients
Public health
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Rural
Severe injury
Spatial access
Spatial analysis
Time Factors
Trauma
Trauma Centers - supply & distribution
Trauma systems
Vital Statistics
Wounds and Injuries - epidemiology
Wounds and Injuries - mortality
Wounds and Injuries - therapy
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Injuries are a major public health problem around the world. Previous research has suggested that providing prompt access to specialized trauma center care may greatly improve the health outcomes of trauma patients. In this paper, a geographic information system (GIS) method is used to examine potential spatial access to trauma centers by individuals who were either hospitalized or died as a result of a major trauma. Overall, it was determined that 68.5% of individuals who suffered from a major trauma lived within one hour travel time of a Level I or II trauma center. In addition, major traumas resulting in death were found to have poorer potential spatial access to trauma center care than those that were admitted to hospital. ► Evidence shows that reaching care within one hour improves the outcomes of traumas. ► Across Canada, 31.5% of major traumas were outside one hour of a trauma center. ► There was significant variation in spatial access between provinces. ► Analysis suggests that traumas with poor spatial access have greater mortality.
ISSN:1353-8292
1873-2054
DOI:10.1016/j.healthplace.2012.10.011