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Status Quo and Equity of Health Care Resources Allocation in China from 2016 to 2019: An Empirical Analysis

Received: 19 April 2021    Accepted:     Published: 24 May 2021
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Abstract

Background: With the development of the social economy, medical and health resources in China have increased to varying degrees. However, it is inevitable that health financing and health talents are shifting to developed areas. Because of this, this study analyzes the current situation and equity of China's medical and health institutions from the number of health care institutions, beds in these institutions and health professionals. From the perspective of people needs, it provides a theoretical basis for optimizing China's medical and health resource allocation. Methods: We featured the status quo of China’s health care institutions with the following three aspects–the number of health care institutions, the number of beds in these institutions, and health professionals, and used the Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient to perform quantitative analysis into health equity, and finally built a theoretical framework for how to optimize the allocation of health care resources in China from the standpoint of demand. Result: From 2016 to 2019, it showed an overall growth trend in China's various medical and health resources. The growth rate of the number of health care institutions was slow, from 0.3% to 1%. The growth rate of the number of beds in health institutions gradually decreased from 7.14% in 2016-2017 to 4.79% in 2018-2019. The growth rate of health professionals, remained steady at 6% between 2016 and 2019. The number of health professionals, in the east in 2019 is about 1.5 times as many as that in the west. In terms of population distribution, the number of health care institutions, beds in health institutions, and health professionals, is close to the line of equality. Its Gini coefficient is in a highly equal state (G<0.1). However, the number of health care institutions, beds in health institutions and, health professionals is far from the line of equality in terms of area distribution. Its Gini coefficient is in a state of disparity (G>0.5). Conclusion: From 2016 to 2019, the number of health resources in China has steadily increased. The Gini coefficients of medical and health institutions, beds, and health technicians distributed by population are all below 0.1, which is equality. On the other hand, China's health resources are unfair in terms of geographic dimensions. The Gini coefficient of health professionals is close to a dangerous state, which requires attention.

Published in Science Journal of Public Health (Volume 9, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.sjph.20210903.15
Page(s) 92-97
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Health Care Resources, Health Equity, Gini Coefficient, Health Policy

References
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[16] Liu W, Liu Y, Twum P, et al. National equity of health resource allocation in China: data from 2009 to 2013 [J]. Int J Equity Health, 2016, 15: 68.
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  • APA Style

    Zizhao Zhao, Shiyuan Dai, Zhong Sun, Yaqi Yang, Juan Luo, et al. (2021). Status Quo and Equity of Health Care Resources Allocation in China from 2016 to 2019: An Empirical Analysis. Science Journal of Public Health, 9(3), 92-97. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20210903.15

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    ACS Style

    Zizhao Zhao; Shiyuan Dai; Zhong Sun; Yaqi Yang; Juan Luo, et al. Status Quo and Equity of Health Care Resources Allocation in China from 2016 to 2019: An Empirical Analysis. Sci. J. Public Health 2021, 9(3), 92-97. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20210903.15

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    AMA Style

    Zizhao Zhao, Shiyuan Dai, Zhong Sun, Yaqi Yang, Juan Luo, et al. Status Quo and Equity of Health Care Resources Allocation in China from 2016 to 2019: An Empirical Analysis. Sci J Public Health. 2021;9(3):92-97. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20210903.15

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  • @article{10.11648/j.sjph.20210903.15,
      author = {Zizhao Zhao and Shiyuan Dai and Zhong Sun and Yaqi Yang and Juan Luo and Hao Gao and Yao Zhao and Shuwei Zhang and Hongyu Chen and Songwang Yang and Na Dou and Guozhong He and Chuntao Chen},
      title = {Status Quo and Equity of Health Care Resources Allocation in China from 2016 to 2019: An Empirical Analysis},
      journal = {Science Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {9},
      number = {3},
      pages = {92-97},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sjph.20210903.15},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20210903.15},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjph.20210903.15},
      abstract = {Background: With the development of the social economy, medical and health resources in China have increased to varying degrees. However, it is inevitable that health financing and health talents are shifting to developed areas. Because of this, this study analyzes the current situation and equity of China's medical and health institutions from the number of health care institutions, beds in these institutions and health professionals. From the perspective of people needs, it provides a theoretical basis for optimizing China's medical and health resource allocation. Methods: We featured the status quo of China’s health care institutions with the following three aspects–the number of health care institutions, the number of beds in these institutions, and health professionals, and used the Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient to perform quantitative analysis into health equity, and finally built a theoretical framework for how to optimize the allocation of health care resources in China from the standpoint of demand. Result: From 2016 to 2019, it showed an overall growth trend in China's various medical and health resources. The growth rate of the number of health care institutions was slow, from 0.3% to 1%. The growth rate of the number of beds in health institutions gradually decreased from 7.14% in 2016-2017 to 4.79% in 2018-2019. The growth rate of health professionals, remained steady at 6% between 2016 and 2019. The number of health professionals, in the east in 2019 is about 1.5 times as many as that in the west. In terms of population distribution, the number of health care institutions, beds in health institutions, and health professionals, is close to the line of equality. Its Gini coefficient is in a highly equal state (G0.5). Conclusion: From 2016 to 2019, the number of health resources in China has steadily increased. The Gini coefficients of medical and health institutions, beds, and health technicians distributed by population are all below 0.1, which is equality. On the other hand, China's health resources are unfair in terms of geographic dimensions. The Gini coefficient of health professionals is close to a dangerous state, which requires attention.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Status Quo and Equity of Health Care Resources Allocation in China from 2016 to 2019: An Empirical Analysis
    AU  - Zizhao Zhao
    AU  - Shiyuan Dai
    AU  - Zhong Sun
    AU  - Yaqi Yang
    AU  - Juan Luo
    AU  - Hao Gao
    AU  - Yao Zhao
    AU  - Shuwei Zhang
    AU  - Hongyu Chen
    AU  - Songwang Yang
    AU  - Na Dou
    AU  - Guozhong He
    AU  - Chuntao Chen
    Y1  - 2021/05/24
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20210903.15
    DO  - 10.11648/j.sjph.20210903.15
    T2  - Science Journal of Public Health
    JF  - Science Journal of Public Health
    JO  - Science Journal of Public Health
    SP  - 92
    EP  - 97
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-7950
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20210903.15
    AB  - Background: With the development of the social economy, medical and health resources in China have increased to varying degrees. However, it is inevitable that health financing and health talents are shifting to developed areas. Because of this, this study analyzes the current situation and equity of China's medical and health institutions from the number of health care institutions, beds in these institutions and health professionals. From the perspective of people needs, it provides a theoretical basis for optimizing China's medical and health resource allocation. Methods: We featured the status quo of China’s health care institutions with the following three aspects–the number of health care institutions, the number of beds in these institutions, and health professionals, and used the Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient to perform quantitative analysis into health equity, and finally built a theoretical framework for how to optimize the allocation of health care resources in China from the standpoint of demand. Result: From 2016 to 2019, it showed an overall growth trend in China's various medical and health resources. The growth rate of the number of health care institutions was slow, from 0.3% to 1%. The growth rate of the number of beds in health institutions gradually decreased from 7.14% in 2016-2017 to 4.79% in 2018-2019. The growth rate of health professionals, remained steady at 6% between 2016 and 2019. The number of health professionals, in the east in 2019 is about 1.5 times as many as that in the west. In terms of population distribution, the number of health care institutions, beds in health institutions, and health professionals, is close to the line of equality. Its Gini coefficient is in a highly equal state (G0.5). Conclusion: From 2016 to 2019, the number of health resources in China has steadily increased. The Gini coefficients of medical and health institutions, beds, and health technicians distributed by population are all below 0.1, which is equality. On the other hand, China's health resources are unfair in terms of geographic dimensions. The Gini coefficient of health professionals is close to a dangerous state, which requires attention.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China

  • The People's Hospital of Guizhou Province, Guizhou, China

  • Life and Health College, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia

  • First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China

  • Yunnan Armed Police General Hospital, Kunming, China

  • Yunnan Armed Police General Hospital, Kunming, China

  • School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China

  • School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China

  • School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China

  • School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China

  • School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China

  • School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China

  • Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China

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