Measuring Spatial Accessibility of Health Care Providers - Introduction of a Variable Distance Decay Function within the Floating Catchment Area (FCA) Method.

ABSTRACT: We integrated recent improvements within the floating catchment area (FCA) method family into an integrated 'iFCA`method. Within this method we focused on the distance decay function and its parameter. So far only distance decay functions with constant parameters have been applied. Therefore, we developed a variable distance decay function to be used within the FCA method. We were able to replace the impedance coefficient β by readily available distribution parameter (i.e. median and standard deviation (SD)) within a logistic based distance decay function. Hence, the function is shaped individually for every single population location by the median and SD of all population-to-provider distances within a global catchment size. Theoretical application of the variable distance decay function

SUBMITTER: Bauer J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4938577 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature