Evaluating access to care from the perspective of companion animal "care deserts" in Ontario.

Background and objective: The proportion of companion animals requiring veterinary attention is on the rise and access to care is a growing concern. Accessibility is a multifactorial concept and is affected by cultural, sociodemographic, and financial considerations, including language spoken, place of residence, required travel distance to the nearest medical facility, and ability to pay for necessary medical care. This research focused on how accessibility is affected by service density through the identification of low- and high-density companion animal hospital clusters in the province of Ontario. Procedure: Data based on Census Subdivision and Forward Sortation Area administrative boundaries from the 2021 Canadian census were combined with a repository of provincial general practice companion animal hospitals. Using the spatial scan statistic with a Poisson model, we identified spatial clusters of low and high companion animal hospital density, using households and population as denominators based on Census Subdivision and Forward Sortation Area boundaries. Results: ., a high-density urban population), despite the assumption that large urban centers are well serviced. The locations of high-density clinic clusters varied with choice of geographic boundary and population denominator. However, unlike low-density clusters, these were centered around smaller and/or more rural communities. Potential biases associated with the lack of available pet ownership-level data are referenced in the Discussion. Conclusion and clinical relevance: The potential socioeconomic causes of these clusters and their One Health implications are important to consider when allocating additional resources for veterinary care in these populations.