Spatial and social disparities in subjective and objective transportation accessibility to healthcare services and their relationship to long COVID

Principal Investigator

Sicheng Wang, Assistant Professor of Geography, University of South Carolina

Principal Investigator

Xueying Yang, Assistant Professor, Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior
Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina

 

Funded By

Social, Behavioral, and Economic COVID Coordinating Center (SBE CCC)

As a medical condition characterized by lingering symptoms following recovery from COVID-19, long COVID presents a significant public health challenge. This study seeks to examine the associations between transportation accessibility and the prevalence and severity of long COVID across space, aiming to inform more effective and efficient healthcare strategies. This project addresses the urgent need to understand and mitigate the impacts of long COVID, which disrupts lives and strains healthcare systems. By clarifying the role of transportation in healthcare access, the study aims to guide the development of interventions that enhance healthcare accessibility and reduce health risks associated with long COVID across different regions and population groups.
Study aims:

  • Measure and Map Accessibility: To assess both subjective (perception-based) and objective (calculated metrics) transportation accessibility to healthcare services for individuals with long COVID, utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies.
  • Identify Disparities: To identify spatial and social disparities in transportation accessibility across different states, metropolitan areas, urban-rural settings, and among various sociodemographic groups.
  • Conduct Spatial Regression Modeling: To analyze the correlation between transportation accessibility and long COVID outcomes, examining how these relationships vary by location and individual characteristics.