Dynamic measurements of geographical accessibility considering traffic congestion using open data: a cross-sectional assessment for haemodialysis services in Cali, Colombia.

Background: Many cities with traffic congestion lack accessibility assessments accounting for traffic congestion and equity considerations but have disaggregated georeferenced municipal-level open data on health services, populations, and travel times big data. We convened a multistakeholder intersectoral collaborative group that developed a digital, web-based platform integrating open and big data to derive dynamic spatial-temporal accessibility measurements (DSTAM) for haemodialysis services. We worked with stakeholders and data scientists and considered people's places of residence, service locations, and travel time to the service with the shortest travel time. Additionally, we predicted the impacts of strategically introducing haemodialysis services where they optimise accessibility. Methods: Cross-sectional analyses of DSTAM, accounting for traffic congestion, were conducted using a web-based platform. This platform integrated traffic analysis zones, public census and health services datasets, and Google Distance Matrix API travel-time data. Predictive and prescriptive analytics identified optimal locations for new haemodialysis services and estimated improvements. Primary outcomes included the percentage of residents within a 20-min car drive of a haemodialysis service during peak and free-flow traffic congestion. Secondary outcomes focused on optimal locations to maximise accessibility with new services and potential improvements. Findings were disaggregated by sociodemographic characteristics, providing an equity perspective. The study in Cali, Colombia, used geographic and disaggregated sociodemographic data from the adjusted 2018 Colombian census. Predicted travel times were obtained for two weeks in 2020. Findings: There were substantial traffic variations. Congestion reduced accessibility, especially among marginalised groups. For 6-12 July, free-flow and peak-traffic accessibility rates were 95.2% and 45.0%, respectively. For 23-29 November, free-flow and peak traffic accessibility rates were 89.1% and 69.7%. The locations where new services would optimise accessibility had slight variation and would notably enhance accessibility and health equity. Interpretation: Establishing haemodialysis services in targeted areas has significant potential benefits. By increasing accessibility, it would enhance urban health and equity. Funding: No external or institutional funding was received.

[Deaths from traffic injuries and social inequality in Colombia, 2019Mortalidade por acidentes de trânsito e desigualdades sociais na Colômbia, 2019]. / Mortalidad por lesiones de tránsito y desigualdades sociales en Colombia, 2019.

Objective: To evaluate the association between social inequalities and deaths from traffic injuries in Colombia in 2019. Methods: This ecological study evaluated the association between social inequalities and deaths from traffic injuries among users of the road transport system in Colombia in 2019, based on secondary information sources, using the department level as the administrative and geographic unit of study. A descriptive statistical analysis of health indicators and equity stratifiers was performed. Absolute and relative measures were used to determine social inequality gaps. Results: In 2019, 6 580 people died from road traffic injuries in Colombia. The majority of them (82%) were men. The most critical user condition was being a motorcyclist. The age group with the most victims was approximately 30 years old. Departments with populations between 500 000 and 2 000 000 were the most represented. The most critical equity stratifier was the number of registered motorcycles per 100 000 population. Significant inequality gaps between departments were observed. Conclusions: Inequalities in deaths from road traffic injuries in Colombia were observed. Policies and actions should focus on helping to reduce identified inequities, resulting in better quality of life, well-being, and health for the population.

Objetivo: Avaliar a relação entre desigualdades sociais e mortalidade por acidentes de trânsito na Colômbia no ano de 2019. Métodos: Este estudo ecológico avaliou a relação entre desigualdades sociais e mortalidade por acidentes de trânsito entre usuários do sistema de transporte rodoviário na Colômbia em 2019, com base em fontes secundárias de informação e departamentos como unidades administrativas e geográficas do estudo. Foi feita uma análise estatística descritiva do indicador de saúde e dos estratificadores de equidade, e foram utilizadas medidas absolutas e relativas para determinar as lacunas de desigualdade social. Resultados: Em 2019, 6 580 pessoas morreram na Colômbia em decorrência de acidentes de trânsito, em sua maioria homens (82%). A categoria de usuário mais afetada foi a de motociclistas, e a faixa etária com o maior número de vítimas girava em torno dos 30 anos. Departamentos com população entre 500 mil e 2 milhões de habitantes tiveram a maior participação. O estratificador de equidade com a condição mais crítica de desigualdade foi o número de motocicletas registradas por 100 mil habitantes. Foram evidenciadas lacunas significativas de desigualdade entre os departamentos. Conclusões: Foram reconhecidas desigualdades na mortalidade por acidentes de trânsito na Colômbia. É preciso implementar políticas e ações que contribuam para a redução das desigualdades identificadas, o que resultará em qualidade de vida, bem-estar e saúde para os cidadãos.

Mortalidad por lesiones de tránsito y desigualdades sociales en Colombia, 2019 / Deaths from traffic injuries and social inequality in Colombia, 2019 / Mortalidade por acidentes de trânsito e desigualdades sociais na Colômbia, 2019

RESUMEN Objetivo. Evaluar la asociación entre las desigualdades sociales y la mortalidad por lesiones de tránsito en Colombia durante 2019. Métodos. En este estudio ecológico se evaluó la asociación entre las desigualdades sociales y la mortalidad por lesiones de tránsito de las personas usuarias del sistema de transporte terrestre carretero en Colombia durante 2019, con base en fuentes secundarias de información, a nivel de departamento como unidad administrativa y geográfica de estudio. Se hizo un análisis estadístico descriptivo tanto del indicador de salud como de los estratificadores de equidad y se utilizaron medidas absolutas y relativas para determinar las brechas de desigualdad social. Resultados. En 2019 murieron en Colombia 6 580 personas por lesiones de tránsito, la mayoría de las cuales (82%) eran hombres. La condición de usuario más crítica fue la de motociclista. El grupo etario con más víctimas tenía aproximadamente 30 años. Los departamentos con población entre 500 000 y 2 000 000 de habitantes tuvieron la más alta participación. El estratificador de equidad con la condición más crítica de desigualdad fue el número de motocicletas registradas por cada 100 000 habitantes. Se evidenciaron brechas de desigualdad importantes entre los departamentos. Conclusiones. Se reconocieron desigualdades de la mortalidad por lesiones de tránsito en Colombia. Se deben orientar políticas y actuaciones que contribuyan a la disminución de las inequidades identificadas, lo que redunda en la calidad de vida, bienestar y salud de los ciudadanos.

ABSTRACT Objective. To evaluate the association between social inequalities and deaths from traffic injuries in Colombia in 2019. Methods. This ecological study evaluated the association between social inequalities and deaths from traffic injuries among users of the road transport system in Colombia in 2019, based on secondary information sources, using the department level as the administrative and geographic unit of study. A descriptive statistical analysis of health indicators and equity stratifiers was performed. Absolute and relative measures were used to determine social inequality gaps. Results. In 2019, 6 580 people died from road traffic injuries in Colombia. The majority of them (82%) were men. The most critical user condition was being a motorcyclist. The age group with the most victims was approximately 30 years old. Departments with populations between 500 000 and 2 000 000 were the most represented. The most critical equity stratifier was the number of registered motorcycles per 100 000 population. Significant inequality gaps between departments were observed. Conclusions. Inequalities in deaths from road traffic injuries in Colombia were observed. Policies and actions should focus on helping to reduce identified inequities, resulting in better quality of life, well-being, and health for the population.

RESUMO Objetivo. Avaliar a relação entre desigualdades sociais e mortalidade por acidentes de trânsito na Colômbia no ano de 2019. Métodos. Este estudo ecológico avaliou a relação entre desigualdades sociais e mortalidade por acidentes de trânsito entre usuários do sistema de transporte rodoviário na Colômbia em 2019, com base em fontes secundárias de informação e departamentos como unidades administrativas e geográficas do estudo. Foi feita uma análise estatística descritiva do indicador de saúde e dos estratificadores de equidade, e foram utilizadas medidas absolutas e relativas para determinar as lacunas de desigualdade social. Resultados. Em 2019, 6 580 pessoas morreram na Colômbia em decorrência de acidentes de trânsito, em sua maioria homens (82%). A categoria de usuário mais afetada foi a de motociclistas, e a faixa etária com o maior número de vítimas girava em torno dos 30 anos. Departamentos com população entre 500 mil e 2 milhões de habitantes tiveram a maior participação. O estratificador de equidade com a condição mais crítica de desigualdade foi o número de motocicletas registradas por 100 mil habitantes. Foram evidenciadas lacunas significativas de desigualdade entre os departamentos. Conclusões. Foram reconhecidas desigualdades na mortalidade por acidentes de trânsito na Colômbia. É preciso implementar políticas e ações que contribuam para a redução das desigualdades identificadas, o que resultará em qualidade de vida, bem-estar e saúde para os cidadãos.

Dynamic accessibility by car to tertiary care emergency services in Cali, Colombia, in 2020: cross-sectional equity analyses using travel time big data from a Google API.

OBJECTIVES: To test a new approach to characterise accessibility to tertiary care emergency health services in urban Cali and assess the links between accessibility and sociodemographic factors relevant to health equity. DESIGN: The impact of traffic congestion on accessibility to tertiary care emergency departments was studied with an equity perspective, using a web-based digital platform that integrated publicly available digital data, including sociodemographic characteristics of the population and places of residence with travel times. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Cali, Colombia (population 2.258 million in 2020) using geographic and sociodemographic data. The study used predicted travel times downloaded for a week in July 2020 and a week in November 2020. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES: The share of the population within a 15 min journey by car from the place of residence to the tertiary care emergency department with the shortest journey (ie, 15 min accessibility rate (15mAR)) at peak-traffic congestion hours. Sociodemographic characteristics were disaggregated for equity analyses. A time-series bivariate analysis explored accessibility rates versus housing stratification. RESULTS: Traffic congestion sharply reduces accessibility to tertiary emergency care (eg, 15mAR was 36.8% during peak-traffic hours vs 84.4% during free-flow hours for the week of 6-12 July 2020). Traffic congestion sharply reduces accessibility to tertiary emergency care. The greatest impact fell on specific ethnic groups, people with less educational attainment and those living in low-income households or on the periphery of Cali (15mAR: 8.1% peak traffic vs 51% free-flow traffic). These populations face longer average travel times to health services than the average population. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that health services and land use planning should prioritise travel times over travel distance and integrate them into urban planning. Existing technology and data can reveal inequities by integrating sociodemographic data with accurate travel times to health services estimates, providing the basis for valuable indicators.

Dynamic geographical accessibility assessments to improve health equity: protocol for a test case in Cali, Colombia.

This protocol proposes an approach to assessing the place of residence as a spatial determinant of health in cities where traffic congestion might impact health services accessibility. The study provides dynamic travel times presenting data in ways that help shape decisions and spur action by diverse stakeholders and sectors.  Equity assessments in geographical accessibility to health services typically rely on static metrics, such as distance or average travel times. This new approach uses dynamic spatial accessibility measures providing travel times from the place of residence to the health service with the shortest journey time. It will show the interplay between traffic congestion, accessibility, and health equity and should be used to inform urban and health services monitoring and planning. Available digitised data enable efficient and accurate accessibility measurements for urban areas using publicly available sources and provide disaggregated sociodemographic information and an equity perspective. Test cases are done for urgent and frequent care (i.e., repeated ambulatory care). Situational analyses will be done with cross-sectional urban assessments; estimated potential improvements will be made for one or two new services, and findings will inform recommendations and future studies. This study will use visualisations and descriptive statistics to allow non-specialized stakeholders to understand the effects of accessibility on populations and health equity. This includes "time-to-destination" metrics or the proportion of the people that can reach a service by car within a given travel time threshold from the place of residence. The study is part of the AMORE Collaborative Project, in which a diverse group of stakeholders seeks to address equity for accessibility to essential health services, including health service users and providers, authorities, and community members, including academia.