Isochrones as Indicators of the Influence of Traffic in Public Health: A Visual Simulation Application in Ávila, Spain

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2015 Oct 9;12(10):12556-76. doi: 10.3390/ijerph121012556.

Abstract

It is well known that excessive rescue times after traffic accidents negatively affect the health of those injured. There is a need to quantitatively measure the impact of unexpected events like ambulance availability, weather, floating population and congestion in those rescue times. A family of indicators based on isochrones is disguised and proposed to understand the risk of the whole population as the probability of not being assisted on time. Indicators of health risk for local towns are also defined. The indicators are calculated using a simulation model and visualized in web format. The framework of analysis is validated using Ávila (Spain) and the problem of the optimal deployment of ambulances as a test-bench.

Keywords: ambulance deployment; golden hour; isochrones; small towns.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Traffic* / statistics & numerical data
  • Ambulances / statistics & numerical data*
  • Emergency Medical Service Communication Systems
  • Humans
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Public Health / methods*
  • Rescue Work* / statistics & numerical data
  • Risk
  • Spain
  • Time Factors