Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Associate Professor, Department of Geography, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran
10.30473/psp.2026.75319.2778
Abstract
Access to healthcare services is considered a fundamental and universal human right, and any disruption in this regard threatens the well-being and welfare of society. The main assumption of this study is that in many areas, particularly in large metropolitan cities, equal access to such services is not available to most citizens. Consequently, those deprived of these services perceive themselves as disadvantaged and react negatively to this inequality. To test this assumption, the present study was conducted in Mashhad using a descriptive-analytical approach. The required data included the location of healthcare centers at different levels as well as their facilities and equipment, which were collected through fieldwork. The data were then analyzed using the P-median model and mapped with the aid of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The findings revealed that healthcare centers in Mashhad are not properly or accurately located across the city, and the facilities and equipment allocated to these centers are insufficient, forcing citizens to spend considerable financial and time resources to reach better-equipped centers. This situation not only leads to dissatisfaction and negative reactions among citizens but also contributes to traffic congestion, air pollution, and other environmental issues throughout the city. Therefore, a fundamental revision in the spatial distribution of healthcare centers, their equipment, and human resources is essential.
Keywords
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