A geospatial analysis of severe injury, socio-economic status, and access to trauma centre care in Canada

Injuries are a major public health issue in Canada and around the world. In response, several strategies have been developed for reducing the burden of injury on populations. Some strategies focus on preventing the injury event from occurring, while others concentrate on improving the care of patients following the injury event. The two research papers presented in this thesis provide information that will support the development of both these approaches. The first explores the relationship between severe injury and neighbourhood socio-economic status in Greater Vancouver and thus, provides insight into the etiology of severe injury. The second evaluates the spatial accessibility of trauma care centres in Canada and identifies specific regions where spatial access to care could be improved. Both papers utilize a variety of geospatial methods and therefore, examine the burden of severe injury from a uniquely spatial perspective.