Applying the Global Positioning System and Google Earth to Evaluate the Accessibility of Birth Services for Pregnant Women in Northern Malawi

• Published in: Journal of midwifery & women's health Vol. 56; no. 1; pp. 68 - 74
• Main Authors: Chen, Solomon Chih-Cheng, Wang, Jung-Der, Yu, Joseph Kwong-Leung, RN, Tzu-Yi Chiang, Chan, Chang-Chuan, RN, Hsiu-Hung Wang, Nyasulu, Yohane M. Z., Kolola-Dzimadzi, Rose
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.01.2011; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Access; Accessibility; birth; Birthing Centers - statistics & numerical data; Childbirth; Childbirth & labor; delivery; Developing countries; Female; Geographic Information Systems; Global Positioning System (GPS); Global positioning systems; GPS; Health care; Health care access; Health care expenditures; Health Services Accessibility; Health services utilization; Humans; LDCs; Malawi; Maternal Health Services - statistics & numerical data; Nursing; Poverty; Pregnancy; Pregnant women; Traditional birth attendants; Transportation; Travel; Validation studies; Women; Womens health; Malawi

Introduction: The objective of this study was to validate the combined use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Google Earth for measuring the accessibility of health care facilities for pregnant women in northern Malawi. Methods: We used GPS and Google Earth to identify 5 major health care fa...