Investigating geospatial data usability from a health geography perspective using sensitivity analysis: The example of potential accessibility to primary healthcare

This study employs a sensitivity analysis approach to assess accessibility to GP surgeries in south Wales using proprietary and open sources of network data. Results suggest that there are significant differences between access scores derived from the use of networks which purport to portray the same features. Furthermore, the pattern of differences varies between urban and rural areas. Case studies are used to show that the actual representation of network-based features, often overlooked in previous research, can have important implications for the findings from such studies. We conclude by suggesting that the use of sensitivity analysis to assess geospatial data usability has a wider relevance for studies that involve the use of a range of GIS-based techniques in different application areas.
Source: Journal of Transport and Health - Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research