Healthcare services for people with acquired disability in South-East Queensland, Australia: Assessing potential proximity and its association with service obstacles

SSM - Population Health, 2022 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101209 · Published: August 17, 2022

Simple Explanation

This study investigates how easy it is for people with acquired disabilities in South-East Queensland to access healthcare services. It looks at how close people live to these services and whether distance affects the obstacles they face. The study found that access to healthcare varies significantly across the region, with some areas having much poorer access than others. Longer travel times to allied health services were linked to people feeling that there were not enough resources available. The findings suggest that policymakers need to address these inequalities to ensure that people with disabilities can get the care they need, regardless of where they live.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

63 people with ABI or SCI

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Access potential was highly variable, particularly for allied health services.
2
Several low-access, high-disability population areas were identified, generally to the north and west of greater Brisbane.
3
Longer travel times to allied health services were associated with 260% higher odds of agreeing that resource availability was an obstacle to accessing services.

Research Summary

This study described the accessibility of healthcare services in South-East Queensland, in terms of potential proximity to services commonly used by people with an acquired disability; and investigated whether potential service proximity was related to perceived service obstacles in a cohort of participants with ABI and SCI recently discharged to the community. There was considerable variability in access potential, which in general, was greater for allied health services compared to medical specialist services. Policy makers should be concerned with the inequalities in potential access experienced by people living with acquired disabilities in these hotspots of poor access.

Practical Implications

Informed Policy Decisions

The study's identification of low-access, high-disability population areas can help policymakers prioritize resource allocation and infrastructure development to address inequities in healthcare access.

Targeted Interventions

The finding that longer travel times to allied health services are associated with perceived resource scarcity suggests the need for targeted interventions to improve the availability and accessibility of these services in underserved areas.

Transportation Solutions

Given that a considerable proportion of participants agreed that transportation was a major obstacle, there is a need for exploring and implementing accessible and affordable transportation options for people with acquired disabilities.

Study Limitations

1
The analysis does not provide any information on service quality, service capacity, the suitability for people with complex rehabilitation needs, or the links between primary, acute, and rehabilitative services.
2
Results from the examination of perceived service obstacles are not generalisable due to the small sample size, and therefore, are specific to the 63 people for which data were available.
3
The physical accessibility to the mapped services, an important consideration for wheelchair or mobility users, is not known.

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