Measuring Accessibility to Health Care Centers in the City of Al-Mafraq Using Geographic Information Systems

Abstract

This study aims at measuring, analyzing, and evaluating accessibility to health care centers in the city of Al-Mafraq in order to determine their distribution efficiency and their spatial suitability for residential neighborhoods in the city using geographic information systems. It also aims at analyzing the geographical characteristics of the health centers locations in the city and determine their service ranges at the level of the residential neighborhoods in the city (Service Areas, Closest Facility, Location-Allocation, Multiple Ring Buffers). The study found that there is a significant difference and disparity in the ease of access to the health centers in the city of Mafraq. Most of the residential neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city suffer from difficult accessibility to the health centers such as the Industrial City, King Abdullah, Prince Hamzah and Al-Mazzeh neighborhoods in the south; and, Al-Nasr and Al-Jundi neighborhoods in the north. The study also found that the locations of Al-Hussein neighborhood health center and the Southern neighborhood health center were the easiest to reach compared to the other health centers in the city based on the distance and time factors. This research contributes to a better understanding of the geographical accessibility of the population to health care center, helping to identify polarization trends. The results obtained can help decision-makers develop urban planning strategies and optimize investments in health care infrastructure. Future studies will consider the use of other means of transport and other time slots.