Clark, S.D. orcid.org/0000-0003-4090-6002 (2024) Spatial disparities in access to NHS dentistry: a neighbourhood-level analysis in England. European Journal of Public Health. ckae099. ISSN 1101-1262
Abstract
Over the past decade, access to National Health Service (NHS) dentistry in England has been problematic. There are increasing media reports of patients being unable to find treatment at a local NHS dentist. However, the extent of this issue varies by location and by the characteristics of the neighbourhood. The study uses official data sources on NHS dental provision and population. Travel accessibility is measured using car journey times. An advanced form of Floating Catchment Area accessibility is used, which accounts for supply competition, varying catchments, and distance decay. Spatial availability and accessibility indices are calculated. Ways in which the method can be used to explore various types of ‘what-if’ scenarios are outlined. Both availability and accessibility vary by the level of neighbourhood deprivation and the urban/rural nature of the neighbourhood. A case study, based on a real-world situation, shows the impact on the local neighbourhood of the closure of a dental practice. For all neighbourhoods, NHS dental provision is generally less than would be needed to provide basic dental care. The interpretation of outputs needs to take account of edge-effects near to Scotland and Wales. Possible improvements include the inclusion of other modes of travel and the exclusion of the population that does not want to access NHS care.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Geography (Leeds) > Centre for Spatial Analysis & Policy (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 27 Jun 2024 15:05 |
Last Modified: | 27 Jun 2024 15:05 |
Status: | Published online |
Publisher: | Oxford University Press (OUP) |
Identification Number: | 10.1093/eurpub/ckae099 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:214006 |