Age-wise travel patterns and utilization of primary health Centres in Eastern West Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya: A GIS-Based Analysis

Primary Health Centres (PHCs) play a crucial role in providing essential healthcare services to rural populations; however, their effective utilization is strongly influenced by geographical accessibility, travel behaviour, and demographic characteristics. The present study examines age-wise travel patterns and utilization of selected Primary Health Centres in Eastern West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya using a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based approach. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire survey among 100 patients from five selected PHCs—Markasa, Nongthliew, Myriaw, Dongki-ing-ding, and Laitdom—with 20 respondents selected from each PHC using stratified sampling. Information related to age, travel distance, travel time, mode of transportation, frequency of PHC visits, and healthcare services utilized was analysed. GIS techniques, including buffer and overlay analysis, were applied to examine spatial variations in healthcare accessibility and travel patterns among different age groups. Utilization analysis indicates that productive-age groups constitute the major users of PHC services, with general treatment, maternal and child healthcare, immunization, and follow-up care being the most frequently accessed services. The study highlights that healthcare utilization is determined not only by physical distance but also by transportation conditions, service availability, accessibility, and community dependence on healthcare facilities. The findings emphasize the importance of integrating age-specific mobility patterns and spatial accessibility considerations into rural healthcare planning to improve equitable access to primary healthcare services in geographically challenging regions.