Facility Attractiveness and Social Vulnerability Impacts on Spatial Accessibility to Opioid Treatment Programs in South Carolina

Bibliographic Data

ID15469080
AuthorsParisa Bozorgi (University of South Carolina, corresponding author), Jan M Eberth (0000-0001-9500-4212, University of South Carolina), Jeannie P Eidson (South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control), Dwayne E Porter (0000-0002-7994-747X, University of South Carolina)
Year2021
Volume18
Issue8
Pages4246-4246
Publication date2021-04-16
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph18084246
PMID33923748
OpenAlexW3152884182
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited26

Opioid dependence and opioid-related mortality have been increasing in recent years in the United States. Available and accessible treatments may result in a reduction of opioid-related mortality. This work describes the geographic variation of spatial accessibility to opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and identifies areas with poor access to care in South Carolina. The study develops a new index of access that builds on the two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method, and has three dimensions: a facility attractiveness index, defined by services rendered incorporated into the Huff Model; a facility catchment area, defined as a function of facility attractiveness to account for variable catchment size; and a Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) to account for nonspatial factors that mitigate or compound the impacts of spatial access to care. Results of the study indicate a significant variation in access to OTPs statewide. Spatial access to OTPs is low across the entire state except for in a limited number of metropolitan areas. The majority of the population with low access (85%) live in areas with a moderate-to-high levels of social vulnerability. This research provides more realistic estimates of access to care and aims to assist policymakers in better targeting disadvantaged areas for OTP program expansion and resource allocation

Attractiveness · Business · Cartography · Catchment area · Computer security · Disadvantaged · Drainage basin · Economic growth · Economics · Environmental health · Environmental planning · Environmental resource management · Geography · Index (typography · Metropolitan area · Population · Psychological intervention · Social vulnerability · Vulnerability (computing · Computer Science · Economic and Environmental Valuation · Environmental Science · Health disparities and outcomes · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Urban Transport and Accessibility