Rural and Urban Disparity in Health Services Utilization in China

Dados Bibliográficos

ID9102354
AutoresMeina Liu (0000-0002-3790-8069, Harbin Medical University, autor correspondente), Qiuju Zhang (0000-0003-3407-2136, Harbin Medical University, autor correspondente), 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)
Ano2007
Volume45
Fascículo8
Páginas767-774
Data de publicação2007-08-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoMedical Care (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0025-7079 • E-ISSN: 1537-1948
EditoraOvid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1097/mlr.0b013e3180618b9a
PMID17667311
OpenAlexW2137966224
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas75
Referências citadas23

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