Graduation Year
2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree
M.A.
Degree Name
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Degree Granting Department
Geography
Major Professor
Joni Downs Firat, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Steven Reader, Ph.D.
Committee Member
He Jin, Ph.D.
Keywords
Geographic Information Systems, Food Insecurity, Network Analysis, Space-Time Analysis
Abstract
Researchers often use geographic information systems (GIS) to measure accessibility to food pantries, but the impact operating hours have on accessibility remains understudied. Unlike grocery stores or healthcare facilities, food pantries have irregular distribution schedules, therefore, measuring geographic accessibility alone potentially creates an inaccurate or inflated representation of access. This study proposes a GIS workflow for analyzing food pantry accessibility over space and time by considering hours of operation and location, allowing researchers to examine when and where access to food assistance is most limited over the span of a typical week. The method was applied to Hillsborough County, Florida with a sample of food pantries to demonstrate potential applications and findings. Accessibility scores were calculated for hourly time slices on a census tract-level then temporally aggregated to investigate various scenarios, including accessibility on weekdays compared to the weekend and before 4 p.m. versus after 4 p.m. These accessibility scores were then visualized alongside food insecurity to identify mismatch in aid and need. Both the method and parameters are modifiable, allowing for either granular or generalized spatiotemporal analysis. Results from this sample study suggest food pantry access in Hillsborough County is most limited on the weekends and after 4 p.m. with access peaking between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily. Findings such as these could assist in decision making tailored to the study area and barriers to improve local food assistance access, for example, opening new pantries in areas with consistently low geographic accessibility or modifying pantry hours for areas with limited access due to operating hours.
Scholar Commons Citation
Darby, Molly J., "A GIS Workflow for Analyzing Spatiotemporal Variance in Food Pantry Access: A Case Study for Hillsborough County, Florida" (2023). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/10711
