Healthcare Accessibility and Socio-economic Deprivation: A Case Study in Quito, Ecuador

Abstract

Comparing different healthcare accessibility measures and relating them to socio-economic information is a useful means for identifying health inequalities. In this study, a socio-economic deprivation index is initially calculated. Then, three measures of health services accessibility are calculated: distance to the nearest health center, a two-step floating catch-ment area measure, and a modified gravity-based accessibility measure. Finally, the three accessibility measures are compared to the socio-economic deprivation index. The study is applied in a study case in Quito, Ecuador. Results show differences between the different healthcare accessibility measures, and that areas with more socio-economic deprivation can be considered as areas that have limited access to health services.