GEO-SPATIAL ANALYSIS: UNDERSTANDING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN URBAN MORPHOLOGY AND ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE DURING COVID-19

The realm of ArcGIS technology invites researchers to explore the many aspects of daily life from the intricacies of landscapes to the prevalence of various environmental problems. With the current outbreak of COVID-19, the medical field has become an even more important area for analysis. Geo-mapping has been used countlessly to collect health-related data in order to implement and change medical policies. In reference to this particular virus, through the use of geo-mapping, we can not only become informed about its impact but also expose the geographical-based health disparities related to urban morphology, and access to care that continue to exist. Previous research on this topic has indicated a relationship between the physical environment and the prevalence of infectious diseases on a global level. Studies demonstrate how understanding the urban makeup and infrastructure of a city can provide insight into the characteristics of neighborhoods and how they are a factor in existing health inequities.

This study aims to provide a micro and macro analysis of the urban morphology of four different cities in the United States through spatial analysis using the ENVI software. The microanalysis identifies areas with high cases of COVID-19 and uses the number of health centers, proportion of physicians to patients and adequate resources as proxies and indicators of appropriate medical care. The macroanalysis of the four cities follows the previous to provide large-scale comparisons of the areas relative to each other in order to highlight connections between landscape features and the spread of COVID-19. Data regarding urban morphology is hypothesized to reveal variations in urban features present in the four chosen areas. The urban development, or lack thereof, in each of these areas may be a variable in the number of health resources present which is a contributing factor to the spread of COVID-19 in these areas. Through this analysis we hope to evaluate the association between urban features and access to proper medical care.