Spatial clusters of potentially preventable hospitalisations and access to allied health services in South Western Sydney: a geospatial study

Objective: To explore the association between geographic access to allied health services and potentially preventable hospitalisations. Methods: This is a retrospective observational study. Adults aged 18years or older with a potentially preventable hospitalisation for a chronic condition(s) to a public hospital in South Western Sydney Local Health District between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2019 were identified from the Secure Analytic for Population Health and Intelligence portal at NSW Health. Locations of allied health amenities or practices in the same geographic area were identified from the 2019 National Health Service Directory. Geospatial analysis was used to identify geographic hotspots and coldspots of potentially preventable hospitalisations. Association with access to allied health services was investigated using linear models. Results: Hotspots of potentially preventable hospitalisations were significantly more disadvantaged than coldspots. Hotspots also had poorer access to allied health services than coldspots. Conclusion: In South Western Sydney, populations with higher burden of chronic disease, as measured through preventable hospitalisations, have poorer access to allied health services than populations with lesser need.