Analysing patterns of geographic distributions of Healthcare Services alongside accessibility in Sekhukhune District Municipality, a GIS case study

Abstract

Access to healthcare is a complex and multifaceted issue that is exacerbated by geographic disparities, scarce healthcare resources, and topographical challenges. People make use of clinics as the primary entry point into the healthcare system and access to high-quality and affordable care is critical to their physical, social, and mental well-being. As opposed to their metropolitan counterparts, rural populations face additional barriers to accessing clinics. However, although access to clinics in rural areas continues to be a major issue, few studies have looked at the frequency of associations between the geographic distribution patterns of clinics and accessibility in mountainous regions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accessibility of clinics in the Sekhukhune District Municipal Area (SDMA), Limpopo province, South Africa which is largely characterized by its mountainous terrain. The survey used to collect the data for the quantitative research approach involved interviews with 400 public clinic users above the age of 18 who completed the self-administered questionnaires distributed to them. ArcMap and Flowmap software’s were then used to perform spatial analyses on the data thus obtained to determine the level of healthcare accessibility in this municipal area. The findings of this research revealed that the geographical distribution of clinics, travel distance, and unreliable public transportation are major contributors to the lack of access to care and that equity in this respect is still a major issue. In fact, the prevailing spatial distribution of clinics could not provide the population with equitable healthcare services. Based on the 10km travel distance and the 10 000-population requirement to warrant a clinic, more than half of the 1,076,840 persons, that is 573,946, were not assigned to any clinic. Thus, the study recommends that additional healthcare clinics be constructed to reduce travel distances and relieve the load on the existing clinics to promote iv equitable access and to boost community health and well-being. Based on the findings of this study it is recommended that the Department of Health should employ geographic Information System (GIS) technology to determine the centricity of the population and to promote its welfare in the health domain by monitoring and responding to its wide range of healthcare needs. Apart from serving in this respect, The Department of Health should also collaborate with the community leaders and other stakeholders to address healthcare needs.