The Discussion of Potential Care Needs for Handicapped Citizens in Taipei City by Using Spatial Analysis

Physically and mentally disabled citizens are just like the general population who have independent human rights, but outside assistance is frequently needed to achieve independency due to the disabilities. An independent life for people with disabilities has gradually become the goal of social promotion. Under the circumstances, the support strategies and facilities for the independency of physically and mentally disabled citizens should be focusing on the design and the goal of exploring the areas needing resources of social welfare by introducing spatial analysis. According to the demographic analysis on the population sizes of physically and mentally disabled citizens in Taiwan between 2008 and 2015, the highest percentage of pathogenesis in different counties/cities was 71.95% caused by illness (organ defects), and the proportion and average life expectancy of people with disabilities in the individual county/city were significantly correlated. That is, the longer average life expectancy, the higher proportion of physically and mentally disabled citizens. Because the demands on healthcare and service are gradually increasing, the establishment of support measures and facilities has become an important topic at present to achieve of the goal of well life independency. The study used a database of disabled persons published by the Taipei City Government in 2015, which was based on the statistics analyzed by the Department of Social Welfare, Taipei City Government. The description of the distribution of physically and mentally disabled citizens and resources was presented by using geographic informatics, and the coverage areas of supportive institutions were calculated based on the information network of route map combining with the statistics of physically and mentally disabled citizens made by Taipei City Government. Hop spots that cannot be covered were explored by applying the Kriging Method. Furthermore, the adequate candidate locations for setting social welfare institutions to support physically and mentally disabled citizens were calculated based on hot spots, minimal statistical areas as well as weighted population center points. Due to the lack of statistical analysis on physically and mentally disabled citizens, the characteristics of demographics were hard to be clarified. This study emphasized the relationships between physically and mentally disabled citizens and their support institutions as well as the analysis on conformity between demands and the resource of social welfare. The aim was to discuss the impacts of policy implementation on the changes in behavior or survival of physically and mentally disabled citizens.