Open Collections

Lucas, Matilda

University of British Columbia

This thesis investigates healthcare accessibility in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, which is a geographic area consisting of the regional districts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. The research addresses three key questions: (1) What methods and metrics can be used to measure healthcare accessibility, and how can they be adapted to the Lower Mainland 's urban context? (2) What is the current state and spatial distribution of access to healthcare services in the Lower Mainland? (3) How does accessibility change with demographic factors and under disaster scenarios? The Enhanced Two-Step Floating Catchment Area (E2SFCA) method, adapted with a distance decay function, was employed to measure accessibility across Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZs) in the Lower Mainland using network information provided by TransLink. The analysis incorporated total bed capacity in hospitals with emergency rooms as a proxy for healthcare supply, and used normalized scores to compare the results across several case studies. The scenarios evaluated include a baseline assessment, a focus on senior and employed populations, and disaster simulations such as Disaster Response Routes (DRRs) and bridge closures following earthquakes. Results reveal significant spatial disparities in healthcare accessibility. While central and well-connected areas exhibit high accessibility, peripheral regions, such as Chilliwack and areas east of Abbotsford, face notable disadvantages, particularly for seniors. Disaster scenarios highlight the vulnerability of certain regions, where restricted routes and infrastructure disruptions can severely limit access to healthcare services. Despite the limitations of the network model, which excluded local roads and public transit, the findings underscore critical gaps in healthcare and transportation planning. By providing a detailed spatial understanding of healthcare accessibility, this thesis offers valuable insights for policymakers, healthcare providers, and urban planners in developing inclusive and disaster-resilient systems.

Text

2025-01-09

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/90087

Civil Engineering

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/