Abstract
We examine the distribution of professional support services in Germany and describe regional differences. To analyze the effect of distance on the utilization of support services among refugees in Germany. Data from the IAB-BAMF-SOEP Survey of Refugees (2016-2020; N=8,545) were linked with municipal-level data from the Central Register of Foreign Nationals and an individual-level repository of non-governmental support services. The analysis makes use of a unique natural experiment whereby asylum seekers are quasi-randomly dispersed to different federal states in Germany upon arrival based on an administrative quota. Using multi-level logistic regression models we analyze the relationship between distance to support and refugees’ utilization. A gravity model represents spatial accessibility of support through service capacity divided by the discounted travel distance summed over all services. Applying the Kernel density method, the models account for differences in accessibility depending on population density. Results indicate differences in the distribution of services across Germany. In 2016, 84% of all services were located in the biggest city of the corresponding district. This number decreased to 65% in 2020. Provider-to-population ratios indicate an improvement of accessibility over time but show no regional differences on the state level. Based on the descriptive results we expect to find an effect of distance on the utilization of services among refugees. We expect an increased distance to service to have a negative effect on service utilization. Including confounders on the regional level, we additionally expect to trace these effects back to context differences.
Presenters
Heidinger EllenResearch associate, Research infrastructure unit Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin), Berlin, Germany
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Professional Support Services, Service Utilization, Refugees, International Migration, Distance
