A Multiple Deprivation Index and Its Relation to Health Services Accessibility in a Rural Area

This contribution was double-blind reviewed as extended abstract. This study produced a Multiple Deprivation Index (MDI) from census information in a rural area, north-west of the Metropolitan District of Quito (MDQ), Ecuador. The index developed uses selected socio-demographic information that represents social deprivation. First, a set of indicators was chosen, and then an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was applied to calculate weights for each indicator. The MDI was calculated using an additive linear combination of the weighted indicators. Finally, using ordinary least squares (OLS), the index values were related to distances from each census area to the nearest health service to find relations between deprivation and distances to these kinds of services. Results showed that health services are located in less deprived areas, nevertheless no complete relation was founded between the index and distances to health services.