GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS IN HERBAL AND INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE: SPATIAL PATTERNS, ACCESSIBILITY, AND HEALTH OUTCOMES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/jahim.v6.i1.2026.82Keywords:
Geospatial Analysis, Herbal and Integrative Medicine, GIS, Spatial Accessibility, Public Health, Traditional MedicineAbstract [English]
Herbal and Integrative Medicine (HIM) has gained increasing relevance within contemporary healthcare systems due to its holistic approach and growing social acceptance. However, its spatial distribution, accessibility, and contextual determinants remain underexplored. This study proposes the use of geospatial analysis to examine the territorial patterns of Herbal and Integrative Medicine practices, including the location of service providers, availability of medicinal plants, and population-level utilization. By integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS), spatial statistics, and health-related datasets, the analysis identifies geographic disparities, clusters of practice adoption, and relationships between environmental, socioeconomic, and cultural factors. The findings highlight the potential of geospatial approaches to support evidence-based planning, improve equitable access to integrative therapies, and inform public health strategies that recognize traditional and complementary medical systems within specific territorial contexts.
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