A commuter-based two-step floating catchment area method for measuring spatial accessibility of daycare centers. (March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fransen, Koos; Neutens, Tijs; De Maeyer, Philippe; Deruyter, Greet
• Is Part Of: Health & place. Volume 32(2015:Mar.)
• Page Start: 65
• Page End: 73
• Publication Date: 2015-03
• Subjects: Daycare center -- Accessibility -- Two-step floating catchment area method -- GIS; Health -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Health services accessibility -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; Political planning -- Periodicals; Social medicine -- Periodicals; Epidemiology -- Periodicals; Health Policy -- Periodicals; Health Services Accessibility -- Periodicals; Public Health -- Periodicals; Public Policy -- Periodicals; Sociology, Medical -- Periodicals; Épidémiologie -- Périodiques; Politique sanitaire -- Périodiques; Santé, Services de -- Accessibilité -- Périodiques; Health services accessibility; Health -- Social aspects; Political planning; Public health; Social medicine; Periodicals; 613
• DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2015.01.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1353-8292

Abstract

Abstract: This paper puts forward a commuter-based version of the two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method, which has gained acceptance in studies on spatial health care accessibility. Current implementations of the 2SFCA method are static in that they consider centroid-based night-time representations of the population. The proposed enhancement to the 2SFCA approach addresses this limitation by accounting for trip-chaining behavior. The presented method is illustrated in a case study of accessibility of daycare centers in the province East Flanders in Belgium. The results show significant spatial differences in accessibility between the original and commuter-based version of the 2SFCA (CB2SFCA). They highlight the importance of giving heed to more complex travel behavior in cases where the need for detailed accessibility calculations is apparent. Highlights: Floating catchment area metrics use static representations of the population. Trip-chaining behavior is introduced in floating catchment metrics. The proposed commuter-based catchments account for daily mobility. A case study of accessibility of daycare centers in East-Flanders is elaborated. Results indicate significant differences between the 2SFCA and the proposed method.