Proximity analysis of hospitals and federally qualified health centers to syringe exchange programs in New York City

Objective Syringe exchange programs (SEPs) are very important in New York City (NYC), a place greatly affected by the opioid epidemic. Access to SEPs and health-care services located in proximity to each other is critical for reducing overdose deaths. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to determine if SEPs are appropriately located near health facilities in NYC. Methods Publicly available data on population totals, as well as location data of SEPS, hospitals, and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) across NYC, were obtained for the purpose of mapping. Thereafter, we conducted a proximity analysis of SEPs to hospitals and FQHCs. Results There are a total of 13 SEPs across NYC. Proximity analysis shows that, while there are numerous FQHCs located in close proximity to SEPs, there are minimal hospitals in close proximity to SEPS. Furthermore, there are notably higher population totals living in close proximity to SEPs compared to those living farther away from these facilities. Conclusion Our findings illustrate that health-care centers currently tend to be located distantly from SEPs, particularly in Richmond County. In an effort to expand services to address the opioid epidemic across NYC, the development of SEPs needs to be closer to health-care resources.