Assessment of inequity of access to intensive care units in Mexico City. 

Abstract

OBJECTIVE The objective was to describe the infrastructure and organization of ICU´s across the healthcare system of Mexico City. METHODS This is a descriptive cross-sectional study and geospatial analysis, on the number of ICU beds, in population with and without social security, and thematic maps of population density for 2020. RESULTS There were a total of 655 ICU beds distributed across 57 public hospitals, with a total of 0.87 ICU beds per capita. Inequity in accessibility was observed in the eastern and northern regions of Mexico City with 0.25–0.52 beds per capita for the SSSOP population. CONCLUSIONS We identified a limited ICU bed capacity per capita. This; combined with factors such as regional access and health care systems to which patients are entitled, increases the probability of death due to these health inequities. This supports the need for comprehensive and equitable planning of the infrastructure for health emergencies in Mexico City.