Rural and Urban Disparity in Health Services Utilization in China

Bibliographic Data

ID9102354
AuthorsMeina Liu (0000-0002-3790-8069, Harbin Medical University, corresponding author), Qiuju Zhang (0000-0003-3407-2136, Harbin Medical University, corresponding author), Mingshan Lu (0000-0002-6083-1098, Institute of Economics), Churl-Su Kwon, Churl‐Su Kwon (0000-0001-9904-2240, Lister Hospital), Hude Quan (0000-0002-7848-7256, University of Calgary)
Year2007
Volume45
Issue8
Pages767-774
Publication date2007-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMedical Care (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0025-7079 • E-ISSN: 1537-1948
PublisherOvid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1097/mlr.0b013e3180618b9a
PMID17667311
OpenAlexW2137966224
LanguageEN
Citations received75
References cited23

OBJECTIVES: To describe patterns in physician and hospital utilization among rural and urban populations in China and to determine factors associated with any differences. METHODS: In 2003, the Third National Health Services Survey in China was conducted to collect information about health services utilization from randomly selected residents. Of the 193,689 respondents to the survey (response rate, 77.8%), 6429 urban and 16,044 rural respondents who were age 18 or older and reported an illness within the last 2 weeks before the survey were analyzed. Generalized estimating equations with a log link were used to assess the relationship between rural/urban residence and physician visit/hospitalization to adjust for respondents clustered at the household level. RESULTS: About half of respondents did not see a physician when they were ill. Rural respondents used physicians more than urban respondents (52.0% vs. 43.0%, P or =65; RR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.53-0.77), rural respondents with low education (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.57-0.86 for illiterate), or rural insured respondents (RR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.69-0.99) than hospitalization among urban counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Three national approaches should be considered in reforming the healthcare system in China: universal insurance coverage, higher amounts of insurance coverage, and increasing the population's level of education. In addition, access issues in remote areas and by rural minority Chinese population should be addressed

China · Confidence interval · Environmental health · Geography · Residence · Rural area · Demography · Global Health Workforce Issues · Healthcare Systems and Reforms · Medicine · Primary Care and Health Outcomes