Przestrzenne Zróżnicowanie I Uwarunkowania Funkcjonowania Systemu Opieki Długoterminowej W Województwie Małopolskim

Irena Żurawska-Bartosik

doi:10.48128/pisg-2026-71.2-02

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Przestrzenne Zróżnicowanie I Uwarunkowania Funkcjonowania Systemu Opieki Długoterminowej W Województwie Małopolskim

Prace i Studia Geograficzne

Volume 71 (2026): Issue 2 (June 2026)

By: Irena Żurawska-Bartosik

Open Access

|Jun 2026

Abstract

The aim of the study is to assess the spatial differentiation and determinants of the functioning of the long-term care system in the Małopolskie Voivodeship. The analysis of statistical data and the RPWDL registry from 2024, covering social welfare homes (DPS) and healthcare institutions (ZOL and ZPO), revealed a strong concentration of facilities in large cities (Kraków, Tarnów, Nowy Sącz) and in the southern counties of the region, alongside a deficit of infrastructure in north-eastern Małopolska. A partial correspondence between the spatial distribution of institutions and the demographic structure was observed, although it is not complete. An important differentiating factor of the system is also its social structure – areas with a higher prevalence of social problems show greater demand for institutional care. The results confirm significant territorial inequalities in access to institutional care and a partial functional inconsistency of the system, resulting from the parallel but not fully coordinated development of the medical (ZOL/ZPO) and social (DPS) sectors.

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