Spatial Analysis Techniques Applied to the Characterization of Elderly Population for the Planning of Nursing Care

• Main Authors: Maria Margarida Palma Góis, Henrique José Monteiro Oliveira, Manuel José Lopes
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de Évora 2016-12-01
• Series: RIASE
• Subjects: Nursing Care; Elderly; spatial statistics; geographic information systems.
• Online Access: http://www.revistas.uevora.pt/index.php/saude_envelhecimento/article/view/150/272

Goal: The study proposes a methodology to characterize geodemographic aspects causing constraints on the geographical accessibility of nursing care in one of the most aging regions of Portugal, using Geographic Information Systems. The proposed work analyzes data from population censuses of elderly people. Spatial statistical techniques, in addition to the classical statistical techniques, are used. Methods: The spatial autocorrelation of some demographic indexes values is studied, in order to characterize statistically the presence of clusters of elderly people in the study area, using the Global Index Moran. The clustering of high and low values for each of the indexes is also statistically characterized, using the calculation of GI* statistics. Findings: Areas envisaging a more frequent usage of nursing cares are identified. Conclusions: The study calls for the necessary programmatic management of material and human resources in nursing, considering the possibility of minimizing the effects caused by the heterogeneous aging of the population.