Access to urgent care in Riyadh: a study of equity and personalization

Access to healthcare, while globally recognized as a human right, presents significant disparities, particularly in urgent care accessibility and equity within Riyadh’s neighborhoods. This study addresses the existing gaps in understanding how disparities in urgent care access can impact the broader goal of personalized healthcare in Riyadh’s primary healthcare centers (PHCs). The study aims to examine the equity and accessibility of urgent care services in PHCs across Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, evaluating how these factors contribute to personalized healthcare. We hypothesized that significant differences exist in the accessibility and equity of urgent care services among various Riyadh neighborhoods. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey with 359 participants from diverse Riyadh neighborhoods. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS Version 23.0 to explore regional differences in urgent care accessibility and perceptions of equity. The study revealed significant regional disparities in urgent care accessibility within Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Specifically, residents in the Western region reported the highest access and awareness (80.84% availability within 30 minutes), while those in the Eastern region reported the least (76.19% access to healthcare centers). Additionally, 32.6% of the participants were from the Western region, 24.5% from the Eastern region, 21.7% from the Southern region, and 21.2% from the Northern region. A notable preference was found for seeking urgent care in secondary and military hospitals, attributed to perceived better resources and specialist availability. The findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions to enhance PHC capabilities and utilization, ensuring alignment with personalized healthcare principles that cater to specific regional needs and conditions.

Primary healthcare centers; Urgent care; Healthcare equity; Healthcare accessibility; Personalized healthcare

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