Geographical accessibility to health care facilities that provide general practice and primary mental healthcare services in Lithuania

The aim of the study was to evaluate the geographical accessibility to primary healthcare facilities in Lithuania in 2016. Material and methods. We combined several layers of spatial data to calculate various indicators of geographical accessibility to primary healthcare facilities. The spatial data contained point layer with healthcare facilities where general practice and primary mental healthcare serviced were provided. Layers with number of residents in 1 km grids, municipalities and elderships also were used to calculate indicators of geographical accessibility. Indicators of geographical accessibility to primary healthcare facilities were used in descriptive analysis. Results. There were 731 geographical locations in Lithuania in 2016 where general practice and/or primary mental healthcare services were provided. General practice services were provided in 694 locations, primary mental healthcare services – in 148 locations. About 75.6 per cent of residents were living in 2 km or less linear distance from and 93.3 per cent were able to travel with car no longer than 10 minutes to health care facility where general practice services were provided. About 56.8 per cent of residents were living in 2 km or less linear distance and 21.6 per cent were living over 10 km from health care facility where primary mental healthcare services were provided. Average distance from the centre of eldership to health care facility where general practice services were provided was 4.1 km, and to primary mental health care facilities – 12.7 km. Average distance between facilities where general practice services were provided and 1 km grids were 5.4 km. Average distance between primary mental health care facilities and grids were 13.5 km. Conclusions. The geographical accessibility to general practice services was sufficient in Lithuania in 2016. Geographical accessibility to facilities that provide general practice services was better compared with primary mental healthcare facilities. Working age residents had better geographical accessibility to primary health care facilities than children and older people