Equity in maternal and child health care utilization in Guangdong province of China 2009–2019

A retrospective analysis

Bibliographic Data

ID22074279
AuthorsXin Wang (0000-0003-2833-6940, Sun Yat-sen University), Yingxian Zhu (Guangdong Province Women and Children Hospital), Jia Liu (0000-0002-9209-1215, Sun Yat-sen University), Liu Jia (0009-0006-2698-6543), Yuanzhu Ma (0009-0002-2039-4433, Guangdong Province Women and Children Hospital, corresponding author), Stephen Birch (0000-0002-1372-0440, The University of Queensland)
Year2022
Volume10
Pages963344-963344
Publication date2022-09-13
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565
PublisherFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpubh.2022.963344
PMID36176519
OpenAlexW4296588658
LanguageEN
References cited20

Background Equity is the principal challenge of maternal and child health care (MCH) across the world, especially in China. Existing researches focused on equity in MCH resources and outcomes. There is an evidence gap regarding equity of MCH services utilization, revealing the black box between equity in MCH resources and MCH outcomes. In the study, we evaluate the changes of equity in integrated MCH service utilization in Guangdong province of China during 2009–2019. Methods Data used in this study are from the Guangdong Maternal and Child Health Routine Reporting System and the Guangdong Health Statistical Yearbook (2009–2019). The Gini coefficient (G) and Theil index (T) were employed to assess equity and source of inequity in four geographic regions of Guangdong province. Results Generally, among the integrated MCH care, coverage of pre-pregnancy care (<50%) is lower than in other stages. In the past decade, inequity of MCH care in the Equalization of Essential Public Health Service (EEPHS) program has gradually reduced to G < 0.1. Screening of genetic metabolic disease and of hearing showed largest reductions of inequity ( G reducing from 0.3–0.4 to 0.03–0.04). Inequity in reproductive health tests for brides-to-be, psychological assessment and consultation, education classes for mother-to-be and health management of children under 3 were mainly contributed by intra-region disparities in 2019. Conclusion Equity has gradually improved in the last decade in Guangdong. The national EEPHS program and the Integrated Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV, Syphilis and HBV of Guangdong have played important roles in reducing inequity in MCH service utilization. Further strategies, targeting pre-pregnancy reproductive healthcare, psychological assessments and consultations for the pregnant and education classes for mothers-to-be, should be taken to promote coverage and equity

China · Economic growth · Environmental health · Family medicine · Geography · Health care · Health services · Maternal health · Political science · Population · Retrospective cohort study · Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences · Global Maternal and Child Health · Healthcare Systems and Reforms · Medicine · Pediatrics

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