Mapping Palliative Care Availability and Accessibility: A First Step to Eradicating Access Deserts in the Low- and Middle-Income Settings

Abstract

Objective

Palliative care is unavailable and/or inaccessible for the majority of people in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). This study aims to determine the availability and accessibility of palliative care services in Malaysia, a middle-income country that has made good progress toward universal health coverage (UHC).

Method

Publicly available data, and databases of registered palliative care services were obtained from governmental and nongovernmental sources. Google Maps and Rome2Rio web-based applications were used to assess geographical disparities by estimating the median distance, travel time, and travel costs from every Malaysian district to the closest palliative care service.

Results

Substantial variations in availability, components, and accessibility (distance, time, and cost to access care) of palliative care services were observed. In the highly developed Central Region of Peninsular Malaysia, specialty care was available within 4 km whereas in the less-developed East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, patients had to travel approximately 46 km. In the predominantly rural East Malaysia, basic palliative care services were 82 km away and, in some instances, where land connectivity was scarce, it took 2.5 h to access care via boat. The corresponding median travel costs were USD2 (RM9) and USD23 (RM114) in Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia.

Conclusion

The stark urban–rural divide in the availability and accessibility of palliative care services even in a setting that has made good progress toward UHC highlights the urgent need for decentralization of palliative care in the LMICs. This may be achieved by capacity building and task shifting in primary care and community settings.