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Wang Y, Jiang N, Shao H, Wang Z. Exploring unmet healthcare needs and associated inequalities among middle-aged and older adults in Eastern China during the progression toward universal health coverage. HEALTH ECONOMICS REVIEW 2024; 14:46. [PMID: 38935169 PMCID: PMC11212176 DOI: 10.1186/s13561-024-00521-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given the rapid population aging in China, achieving universal health coverage (UHC) presents a primary challenge in addressing unmet healthcare needs and associated inequalities among middle-aged and older adults. Several studies have focused on healthcare utilization and its inequalities, but little attention has been paid to the inequality in unmet healthcare needs. This study aimed to analyze the inequalities in unmet the healthcare needs of middle-aged and older adults in eastern China during the progression toward UHC. METHODS Data were obtained from the fourth, fifth, and sixth National Health Service Survey (NHSS) of Jiangsu Province, located in eastern China, during the years 2008, 2013, and 2018, respectively. Logistic regression models were used to assess the associated factors of unmet healthcare needs. The inequality was measured according to the concentration index (CI) and its decomposition. RESULTS In this study, we found that 12.86%, 2.22%, and 48.89% of middle-aged and older adults reported unmet needs for outpatient and inpatient services and physical examinations, respectively. The prevalence of unmet outpatient needs increased from 2008 to 2018, while the prevalence of unmet inpatient services was lower but maintained. The prevalence of unmet needs for physical examinations among middle-aged and older adults markedly decreased since 2008. Rural areas had a higher prevalence of unmet needs for inpatient services and physical examinations than urban areas. Unmet healthcare needs were more prevalent among the poor. The pro-poor inequalities of unmet healthcare needs have been mitigated during the progression toward UHC; however, they remain predominant among rural middle-aged and older adults for outpatient and inpatient services. Socioeconomic factors significantly influenced unmet healthcare needs and contributed to their inequalities. CONCLUSIONS The findings characterize the prevalence and inequality of unmet healthcare need among middle-aged and older adults in eastern China during the progression toward UHC. Policy interventions should be actively advocated to effectively mitigate the unmet healthcare needs and address the associated inequalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhan Wang
- School of Health Policy & Management, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Nan Jiang
- School of Health Policy & Management, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Haiya Shao
- School of Health Policy & Management, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
| | - Zhonghua Wang
- School of Health Policy & Management, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
- The Public Health Policy and Management Innovation Research Team, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
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Li X, Mohanty I, Chai P, Niyonsenga T. Healthcare utilization and its association with socioeconomic status in China: Evidence from the 2011-2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297025. [PMID: 38483924 PMCID: PMC10939203 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Healthcare utilization often favors the higher-socioeconomic status (SES) and having chronic diseases may exacerbate this inequality. This study aims to examine the trends in health service use over time, the effect of SES on healthcare utilization, and the role of chronic diseases in this association. METHODS Data used in this study were from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018, which is the first nationally representative survey of the middle-aged and older. The sample included people aged 45 years and older who responded to all the waves. A total of 10,922 adults were included in this study. Healthcare utilization was categorized into outpatient and inpatient service use and SES was measured by per-capita household expenditure. A multilevel zero-inflated negative binomial regression model was performed to analyze outpatient and inpatient service use, separately. RESULTS The rates of outpatient service use in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018 were 19.11%, 21.45%, 20.12%, and 16.32%, respectively, while the rates of inpatient service use were 8.40%, 13.04%, 14.17%, and 18.79%, respectively. Compared to individuals in the lowest quintile of per-capita household expenditure, those in higher quintiles had higher odds of outpatient service use (Q2: odds ratio = 1.233, p < 0.0001; Q3: 1.416, p < 0.0001; Q4: 1.408, p < 0.0001; or Q5: 1.439, p < 0.0001) and higher rates of inpatient service use (Q2: incidence rate ratio = 1.273, p < 0.0001; Q3: 1.773, p < 0.0001; Q4: 2.071, p < 0.0001; or Q5: 1.992, p < 0.0001). Additionally, having morbidity generally increased healthcare utilization, but did not play a significant role in moderating the relationship between SES and healthcare utilization. CONCLUSIONS Healthcare utilization rates were overall low in China, but relatively high for people in higher quintiles of per-capita household expenditure or those with morbidity, compared to their counterparts. Policy actions are required to provide more health education to the public, to further optimize health insurance schemes targeting outpatient services, especially for the low-SES, and to establish new health delivery models for NCD management in the primary health care setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Li
- Health Research Institute (HRI), Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia
| | - Itismita Mohanty
- Health Research Institute (HRI), Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia
| | - Peipei Chai
- Department of Health Economics and National Health Accounts Research, China National Health Development Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Theo Niyonsenga
- Health Research Institute (HRI), Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia
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Zhang T, Su M, Li D, Zhang W, Yang F, Li W. Equity in health service utilisation among middle-aged and elderly people with multiple chronic conditions in China: evidence from longitudinal data of 2011-2018 CHARLS. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e072320. [PMID: 37816559 PMCID: PMC10565265 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Equity in health service utilisation is a central objective for health systems. Middle-aged and elderly patients with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) are particularly vulnerable to healthcare inequity. This study aimed to update the information on the trends in the incidence and equity of outpatient health service utilisation (OHSU) and inpatient health service utilisation (IHSU) for middle-aged and elderly MCCs patients in China, identify socioeconomic determinants that may contribute to inequity, and suggest optimisation strategies to mitigate this disparity. METHODS Panel data obtained from four waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were used to determine the trends in OHSU and IHSU. The inequity in OHSU and IHSU was measured by the Concentration Index (CI) and Horizontal Inequity Index (HI), which is a valid measure of health service utilisation equity. The decomposition model of the CI was set up to explore the contribution of various determinants of overall equity. RESULTS The annual rate of OHSU gradually decreased from 29.32% in 2011 to 27.27% in 2018. The HI remained positive and decreased from 0.0803 in 2011 to 0.0662 in 2018, indicating the existence of pro-rich inequity. The annual rate of IHSU gradually increased from 13.31% in 2011 to 19.89% in 2018. The HI remained positive and showed a declining trend from 0.2363 in 2011 to 0.0574 in 2018, evidencing pro-rich inequity; however, a trend towards the easing of inequity was observed. CONCLUSIONS Pro-rich inequity was present in both OHSU and IHSU among middle-aged and elderly MCCs patients in China. Economic status, area, education and age were the main contributors to pro-rich inequity. Concerted efforts are needed to allocate resources for mitigating health service utilisation inequity in middle-aged and elderly people with MCCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianjiao Zhang
- School of Public Administration, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Min Su
- School of Public Administration, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Dongxu Li
- School of Public Administration, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Weile Zhang
- School of Public Administration, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Fan Yang
- School of Public Administration, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Wenhui Li
- School of Public Administration, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
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Xu J, Tian G, Sun J, Liu J, Chen F, Shi Q, Zhang T, Zhang H, He J, Deng F, Zhang B, Wang H, Wu Q, Kang Z. Horizontal inequity trends of health care utilization in rural China after the medicine and healthcare system reform: based on longitudinal data from 2010 to 2018. Int J Equity Health 2023; 22:90. [PMID: 37194035 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-023-01908-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To assess the effectiveness of China's medicine and health care reform in promoting equity in health care utilization among rural residents, it is necessary to analyze temporal trends in equity in health care utilization among rural residents in China. This study is the first to assess horizontal inequity trends in health care utilization among rural Chinese residents from 2010 to 2018 and provides evidence for improving government health policies. METHODS Longitudinal data obtained from China Family Panel Studies from 2010 to 2018 were used to determine trends in outpatient and inpatient utilization. Concentration index, concentration curve, and horizontal inequity index were calculated to measure inequalities. Decomposition analysis was applied to measure the contribution of need and non-need factors to the unfairness. RESULTS From 2010 to 2018, outpatient utilization among rural residents increased by 35.10%, while inpatient utilization increased by 80.68%. Concentration indices for health care utilization were negative in all years. In 2012, there was an increase in the concentration index for outpatient utilization (CI = -0.0219). The concentration index for inpatient utilization decreased from -0.0478 in 2010 to -0.0888 in 2018. Except for outpatient utilization in 2012 (HI = 0.0214), horizontal inequity indices for outpatient utilization were negative in all years. The horizontal inequity index for inpatient utilization was highest in 2010 (HI = -0.0068) and lowest in 2018 (HI = -0.0303). The contribution of need factors to the inequity exceeded 50% in all years. CONCLUSIONS Between 2010 and 2018, low-income groups in rural China used more health services. This seemingly pro-poor income-related inequality was due in large part to the greater health care need among low-income groups. Government policies aimed at increasing access to health services, particularly primary health care had helped to make health care utilization in rural China more equitable. It is necessary to design better health policies for disadvantaged groups to reduce future inequities in the use of health services by rural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinpeng Xu
- School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Guomei Tian
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Fourth Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jiale Sun
- Xuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jian Liu
- School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Fangting Chen
- School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Qi Shi
- School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Hongyu Zhang
- School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jingran He
- School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Fangmin Deng
- School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Bokai Zhang
- School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Haixin Wang
- School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Qunhong Wu
- School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Zheng Kang
- School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
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Li Y, Marquez R. Can government subsidies and public mechanisms alleviate the physical and mental health vulnerability of China's urban and rural residents? Int J Equity Health 2023; 22:59. [PMID: 37005599 PMCID: PMC10067002 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-022-01805-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Poverty vulnerability has been defined as the likelihood of a family falling into poverty in the upcoming months. Inequality is a major cause of poverty vulnerability in developing countries. There is evidence that establishing effective government subsidies and public service mechanisms significantly reduces health poverty vulnerability. One of the ways to study poverty vulnerability is by using empirical data such as income elasticity of demand to perform the analysis. Income elasticity refers to the extent to which changes in consumers' income affect changes in demand for commodities or public goods. In this work, we assess health poverty vulnerability in rural and urban China. We provide two levels of evidence on the marginal effects of the design and implementation of government subsidies and public mechanisms in reducing health poverty vulnerability, before and after incorporating the income elasticity of demand for health. METHODS Multidimensional physical and mental health poverty indexes, according to the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative and the Andersen model, were implemented to measure health poverty vulnerability by using the 2018 China Family Panel Survey database (CFPS) as the data source for empirical analysis. The income elasticity of demand for health care was used as the key mediating variable of impact. Our assessment was conducted by a two-level multidimensional logistic regression using STATA16 software. RESULTS The first level regression indicates that the marginal utility of public mechanism (PM) in reducing urban and rural vulnerability as expected poverty on physical and mental health (VEP-PH&MH) was insignificant. On the other hand, government subsidies (GS) policies had a positive suppression effect on VEP-PH&MH to a relatively low degree. The second level regression found that given the diversity of health needs across individual households, i.e., the income elasticity of demand (HE) for health care products, PM and GS policies have a significant effect in reducing VEP-PH&MH in rural and urban areas. Our analysis has verified the significant positive impact of enacting accurate GS and PM policies on effectively reducing VEP-PH&MH in rural as well as urban areas. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that implementing government subsidies and public mechanisms has a positive marginal effect on reducing VEP-PH&MH. Meanwhile, there are individual variations in health demands, urban-rural disparities, and regional disparities in the effects of GS and PM on inhibiting VEP-PH&MH. Therefore, special consideration needs to be given to the differences in the degree of health needs of individual residents among urban and rural areas and regions with varying economic development. Furthermore, considerations of this approach in the current worldwide scenario are analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Li
- School of Business, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Nanchang, 330013, China.
| | - Ronald Marquez
- Laboratoire Physico-Chimie des Interfaces Complexes, ESPCI Paris, 10 rue Vauquelin, F-75231, Paris, France
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Peng W, Jian W, Li T, Malowany M, Tang X, Huang M, Wang Y, Ren Y. Disparities of obesity and non-communicable disease burden between the Tibetan Plateau and developed megacities in China. Front Public Health 2023; 10:1070918. [PMID: 36703857 PMCID: PMC9873242 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1070918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including risk factors, e.g., obesity, are the major causes of preventable deaths in China, yet NCD disparities in China remain under-studied. Objective This study aimed to compare the determinants and burden of NCDs within four selected provinces in mainland China: the least developed Qinghai-Tibet Plateau group (PG, Tibetan Autonomous Region [TAR] and Qinghai Province) and most developed megacity group (MCG, Shanghai, and Beijing). Methods Studies, reports, and other official sources with comparable data for NCD burden and related determinants for the four provinces were searched. Geographic, demographic, socioeconomic, and dietary characteristics and selected health indicators (e.g., life expectancy) were extracted from the China Statistical Yearbook and China Health Statistics Yearbook. Data on NCD burdens were extracted from the National Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance Study and other nationally representative studies. Results The overall NCD mortality rates and prevalence of metabolic risk factors including obesity, hypertension, and diabetes in mainland China have increased in the past 20 years, and this trend is expected to continue. The PG had the highest level of standardized mortality rates (SMRs) on NCDs (711.6-896.1/100,000, 6th/6-level); the MCG had the lowest (290.6-389.6/100,000, 1st/6-level) in mainland China. The gaps in SMRs were particularly high with regard to chronic respiratory diseases (PG 6th/6-level, MCG 1st/6-level) and cardiovascular diseases (6th/6 and 4th/6 in TAR and Qinghai; 1st/6-level and 2nd/6-level in Shanghai and Beijing). In contrast, the prevalence rates of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes were generally higher or comparable in MCG compared to PG. Diabetes prevalence was particularly high in MCG (5th/5-level, 13.36-14.35%) and low in PG (1st/5-level, 6.20-10.39%). However, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension were poor in PG. Additionally, PG had much lower and severely inadequate intakes of vegetables, fruits, and dairy products, with additional indicators of lower socioeconomic status (education, income, etc.,) compared with MCG. Conclusion Evidence showed large disparities in NCD burden in China's provinces. Socioeconomic disparity and dietary determinants are probably the reasons. Integrated policies and actions are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Peng
- Nutrition and Health Promotion Center, Department of Public Health, Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining, China,Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Research for Glucolipid Metabolic Diseases, Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China,Wen Peng ✉
| | - Wenxiu Jian
- Nutrition and Health Promotion Center, Department of Public Health, Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Tiemei Li
- Nutrition and Health Promotion Center, Department of Public Health, Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Maureen Malowany
- Faculty of Medicine, Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem—Hadassah Medical Organization, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Xiao Tang
- Nutrition and Health Promotion Center, Department of Public Health, Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Mingyu Huang
- Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Youfa Wang
- Global Health Institute, School of Public Health, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yanming Ren
- Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining, China,*Correspondence: Yanming Ren ✉
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Inequity in the healthcare utilization among latent classes of elderly people with chronic diseases and decomposition analysis in China. BMC Geriatr 2022; 22:846. [PMID: 36357825 PMCID: PMC9650823 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-022-03538-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies have shown chronic disease-based healthcare utilization inequity is common. Hence, exploring this issue can help in establishing targeted measures and protecting the rights and interests of vulnerable groups. Against this background, the purpose of this study is to explore the latent classification of elderly patients with chronic disease and compare healthcare utilization inequity among latent classes. METHODS This study used the data of 7243 elderly patient with chronic diseases collected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2018. Latent class analysis was used to classify the patients with chronic diseases, and analysis of variance and [Formula: see text] tests were utilized to test the differences in characteristics among latent classes. Healthcare utilization inequity was measured based on the concentration index (CI), and the CI was decomposed to compare the horizontal index of healthcare utilization among the latent classes. RESULTS The patients with chronic diseases were divided into five latent classes, namely, the musculoskeletal system, hypertension, respiratory system, digestive system and cardiovascular system groups. Statistically significant differences in social demographic characteristics were observed among the five latent classes (P < 0.05). A pro-rich healthcare utilization inequity for all respondents was observed (outpatient CI = 0.080, inpatient CI = 0.135), and a similar phenomenon in latent classes was found except for the musculoskeletal system group in outpatient visits (CI = -0.037). The digestive system group had the worst equity (outpatient CI = 0.197, inpatient CI = 0.157) and the respiratory system group had the best (outpatient CI = 0.001, inpatient CI = 0.086). After balancing the influence of health need factors, healthcare utilization inequity was almost alleviated. Furthermore, for all respondents, the contribution of health need factors (65.227% for outpatient and 81.593% for inpatient) was larger than that of socioeconomic factors (-21.774% for outpatient and 23.707 for inpatient), and self-rated health status was the greatest contributor (57.167% for outpatient and 79.399% for inpatient). The characteristics were shown in latent classes. CONCLUSIONS Healthcare utilization inequity still exists in elderly patients with chronic diseases, and the specific performances of inequity vary among latent classes. Moreover, self-rated health status plays an important role in healthcare utilization inequity. Providing financial support to low-income patients with certain chronic diseases, focusing on their physical and mental feelings and guiding them to evaluate their health status correctly could be essential for alleviating healthcare utilization inequity among elderly patients with chronic diseases.
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Yang S, Zhou M, Liao J, Ding X, Hu N, Kuang L. Association between Primary Care Utilization and Emergency Room or Hospital Inpatient Services Utilization among the Middle-Aged and Elderly in a Self-Referral System: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2011-2018. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph191912979. [PMID: 36232279 PMCID: PMC9564952 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
With rapid economic growth and aging, hospital inpatient and emergency services utilization has grown rapidly, and has emphasized an urgent requirement to adjust and optimize the structure of health service utilization. Studies have shown that primary care is an effective way to reduce inpatient and emergency room (ER) service utilization. This study aims to examine whether middle-aged and elderly individuals who selected primary care outpatient services in the last month had less ER and hospital inpatient service utilization than those who selected hospitals outpatient services via the self-referral system. Data were obtained from four waves of the nationally representative China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). We pooled respondents who had outpatient visits and were aged 45 years and above. We used logistic regressions to explore the association between types of outpatient and ER visits or hospitalization, and then used zero-truncated negative binomial regression to examine the impact of outpatient visit types on the number of hospitalizations and the length of hospitalization days. A trend test was used to explore the trend of outpatient visit types and the ER or hospital inpatient services utilization with the increase in outpatient visits. Among the 7544 respondents in CHARLS, those with primary care outpatient visits were less likely to have ER visits (adjusted OR = 0.141, 95% CI: 0.101-0.194), hospitalization (adjusted OR = 0.623, 95% CI: 0.546-0.711), and had fewer hospitalization days (adjusted IRR = 0.886, 95% CI: 0.81-0.969). The trend test showed that an increase in the number of total outpatient visits was associated with a lower hospitalizations (p = 0.006), but a higher odds of ER visits (p = 0.023). Our findings suggest that policy makers need to adopt systematic policies that focus on restructuring and balancing the structure of resources and service utilization in the three-tier healthcare system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siman Yang
- Department of Health Administration, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Mengping Zhou
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jingyi Liao
- Department of Health Administration, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xinxin Ding
- Department of Health Administration, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Nan Hu
- Department of Biostatistics, FIU Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Miami, FL 33199, USA
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and Population Health Sciences, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
- Correspondence: (N.H.); (L.K.)
| | - Li Kuang
- Department of Health Administration, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Correspondence: (N.H.); (L.K.)
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Jin S, Sun Y, Tao J, Tian L, Lin J, Qian D. Medical expenditure and its inequity for people with disabilities: Evidence from the CHARLS 2018 data. Front Public Health 2022; 10:977150. [PMID: 36249237 PMCID: PMC9558895 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.977150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Disabilities may raise heavy medical expenses and rich-poor inequalities. However, data is lacking for the Chinese older populations. This study aimed to measure socioeconomic inequalities in medical expenses amongst the Chinese adult 45 years or older, and explored the main determinants among different disability categories. Method Data from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were used. Disabilities were divided into five categories: physical disabilities, intellectual disability, vision problems, hearing problems, and multiple disabilities. The two-part model was employed to identify the factors that are associated with medical expenditures. Socioeconomic inequalities were measured by the concentration index (CI), and the horizontal inequity index (HI) which adjusts for health needs. Decomposition analysis was further applied to evaluate the contribution of each determinant. Results Two thousand four hundred nineteen people were included in this study. The CIs and HIs of the expenditure were both positive. Amongst the varied types of medical expenses, the highest CIs were found for self-treatment expenses (0.0262). Amongst the five categories of disabilities, the group with vision problem disability reported the highest CIs and HIs for outpatient expenses (CI = 0.0843, HI = 0.0751), self-treatment expenses (CI = 0.0958, HI = 0.1119), and total expenses (CI = 0.0622, HI = 0.0541). The group of intellectual disability reported the highest CI and HI (CI = 0.0707, HI = 0.0625). The decomposition analysis showed that income (80.32%), education (25.14%) and living in the rural areas (13.96%) were the main determinants of medical expenses for HI amongst all types of disabilities. Conclusion For five types of disabilities, our data shows that medical expenses concentrated in the richer groups in China. Income, education, and rural areas factors were the main contributors to the economic-related inequalities. Health policies to improve the affordability of medical care are needed to decrease inequity of medical expenditures for people with disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengxuan Jin
- Institute of Healthy Jiangsu Development, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ying Sun
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jun Tao
- Institute of Healthy Jiangsu Development, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lanlan Tian
- Institute of Healthy Jiangsu Development, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiawei Lin
- Institute of Healthy Jiangsu Development, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dongfu Qian
- Institute of Healthy Jiangsu Development, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China,Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China,*Correspondence: Dongfu Qian
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Faraji‐Khiavi F, Jalilian H, Heydari S, Sadeghi R, Saduqi M, Razavinasab S, Heidari‐Jamebozorgi M. Utilization of health services among the elderly in Iran during the COVID-19 outbreak: A cross-sectional study. Health Sci Rep 2022; 5:e839. [PMID: 36189407 PMCID: PMC9493018 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aims Elderly people are potentially vulnerable with a higher need for health services, and utilization of Essential Public Health Services (EPHS) among this group is of high importance. This study aimed to examine the utilization of health services among the elderly in Iran during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 21 public health centers in Sirjan, Southern Iran, from May to December 2020. A total of 420 elderly patients were selected through a systematic random sampling method. Data were collected using a questionnaire and were analyzed using SPSS v22.0. The binary logistic regression was used to examine the effect of demographic, socioeconomic and morbidity status on inpatient and outpatient healthcare utilization. Results Our results showed that 56% of the elderly had a history of hospitalization during the last year. Although 60% of the elderly reported they had a perceived need for outpatient services, only 49% of them reported that they utilized outpatient services. 51% and 35.5% of the elderly reported that their inpatient and outpatient costs were covered by health insurance, respectively. Others reported their health spending was financed through out-of-pocket payments. Male gender aged 80 and above, urban residents, higher socioeconomic and supplemental insurance coverage were associated with an increase in health services utilization. The elderly with Cancer, mental disorders, kidney disease, and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) were more likely to be hospitalized. Conclusion There were demographic and socioeconomic inequalities in health services utilization among the elderly. Therefore, appropriate interventions and strategies are needed to reduce these inequalities in health services utilization among the elderly. In addition, given that the hospitalization rate was significantly higher among the elderly with chronic diseases than those without, it is crucial and necessary to take interventions to reduce the burden of chronic diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzad Faraji‐Khiavi
- Department of Health Services Management, School of HealthAhvaz Jundishapur University of Medical SciencesAhvazIran
| | - Habib Jalilian
- Department of Health Services Management, School of HealthAhvaz Jundishapur University of Medical SciencesAhvazIran
| | - Somayeh Heydari
- Department of Health Services Management, School of HealthAhvaz Jundishapur University of Medical SciencesAhvazIran
| | - Reza Sadeghi
- Department of Public HealthSirjan School of Medical SciencesSirjanIran
| | - Morteza Saduqi
- Department of Laboratory SciencesSirjan School of Medical SciencesSirjanIran
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11
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Zhang H, Fu Y, Chen M, Si L. Socioeconomic inequality in health care use among cancer patients in China: Evidence from the China health and retirement longitudinal study. Front Public Health 2022; 10:942911. [PMID: 35983352 PMCID: PMC9379281 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.942911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundCancer is a major public health problem worldwide and the leading cause of death in China, with increasing incidence and mortality rates. This study sought to assess socioeconomic-related inequalities in health care use among cancer patients in China and to analyze factors associated with this disparity.MethodsThis study used data collected for the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2018. Patients who reported having cancer were included. The annual per capita household expenditure was classified into five groups by the quintile method. We calculated the distribution of actual, need-predicted, and need-standardized health care use across different socioeconomic groups among patients with cancer. The concentration index (CI) was used to evaluate inequalities in health care use. Influencing factors of inequalities were measured with the decomposition method.ResultsA total of 392 people diagnosed with cancer were included in this study. The proportion of cancer patients who utilized outpatient and inpatient services was 23.47% and 40.82%, respectively, and the CIs for actual outpatient and inpatient service use were 0.1419 and 0.1960. The standardized CIs (CI for outpatient visits = 0.1549; CI for inpatient services = 0.1802) were also both positive, indicating that affluent cancer patients used more health services. The annual per capita household expenditure was the greatest factor favoring the better-off, which contributed as much as 78.99% and 83.92% to the inequality in outpatient and inpatient services use, followed by high school education (26.49% for outpatient services) and living in a rural village (34.53% for inpatient services). Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance exacerbated the inequality in inpatient services (21.97%) while having a negative impact on outpatient visits (−22.19%).ConclusionsThere is a pro-rich inequality in outpatient and inpatient services use among cancer patients in China. A lower socioeconomic status is negatively associated with cancer care use. Hence, more targeted financial protection for poor people would relieve cancer patients of the burden caused by the high cost of cancer care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiru Zhang
- School of Health Policy and Management, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu Fu
- School of Health Policy and Management, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mingsheng Chen
- School of Health Policy and Management, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Mingsheng Chen
| | - Lei Si
- The George Institute for Global Health, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, Australia
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12
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Miao W, Zhang X, Shi B, Tian W, Wu B, Lai Y, Li Y, Huang Z, Xia Q, Yang H, Ding F, Shan L, Xin L, Miao J, Zhang C, Li Y, Li X, Wu Q. Multi-dimensional vulnerability analysis on catastrophic health expenditure among middle-aged and older adults with chronic diseases in China. BMC Med Res Methodol 2022; 22:151. [PMID: 35614385 PMCID: PMC9134696 DOI: 10.1186/s12874-022-01630-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Middle-aged and older adults are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases because of their particular health characteristics, which lead to a high incidence of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE). This study plans to analyse the different factors affecting CHE in middle-aged and older adults with chronic diseases, target the vulnerable characteristics, and suggest groups that medical insurance policies should pay more attention to. METHODS The data used in this study came from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) database. The method of calculating the CHE was adopted from the World Health Organization (WHO). The logistic regression was used to determine the family characteristics of chronic disease in middle-aged and older adults with a high probability of incurring CHE. RESULTS The incidence of CHE in middle-aged and older adults with chronic disease was highest in sub-poverty level families (26.20%) was lowest in wealthier level families (20.07%). Households with malignant tumours had the highest CHE incidence under any circumstances, especially if the householder had been using inpatient service in the past year. Among the comparison of CHE incidence in different types of medical insurance, the Urban and Rural Residents' Basic Medical Insurance (URRBMI) was the highest (27.46%). The incidence of CHE was 2.73 times (95% CI 2.30-3.24) and 2.16 times (95% CI 1.81-2.57) higher among people who had used inpatient services in the past year or outpatient services in the past month than those who had not used them. CONCLUSIONS Relatively wealthy economic conditions cannot significantly reduce the financial burden of chronic diseases in middle-aged and older adults. For this particular group with multiple vulnerabilities, such as physical and social vulnerability, the high demand and utilization of health services are the main reasons for the high incidence of CHE. After achieving the goal of lowering the threshold of universal access to health services, the medical insurance system in the next stage should focus on multiple vulnerable groups and strengthen the financial protection for middle-aged and older adults with chronic diseases, especially for patients with malignant tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqing Miao
- Center for Policy and Management Research, School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, No. 157 Baojian Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xiyu Zhang
- Center for Policy and Management Research, School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, No. 157 Baojian Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Baoguo Shi
- Department of Economics, School of Economics, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Wanxin Tian
- Center for Policy and Management Research, School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, No. 157 Baojian Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Bing Wu
- Center for Policy and Management Research, School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, No. 157 Baojian Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yongqiang Lai
- Center for Policy and Management Research, School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, No. 157 Baojian Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yuze Li
- Department of Medicine, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, 154007, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zhipeng Huang
- Center for Policy and Management Research, School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, No. 157 Baojian Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Qi Xia
- Center for Policy and Management Research, School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, No. 157 Baojian Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Huiqi Yang
- Center for Policy and Management Research, School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, No. 157 Baojian Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Fan Ding
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Linghan Shan
- Center for Policy and Management Research, School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, No. 157 Baojian Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Ling Xin
- Center for Policy and Management Research, School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, No. 157 Baojian Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jingying Miao
- Center for Policy and Management Research, School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, No. 157 Baojian Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Chenxi Zhang
- Center for Policy and Management Research, School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, No. 157 Baojian Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Ye Li
- Center for Policy and Management Research, School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, No. 157 Baojian Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Xiaodong Li
- The First Department of General Surgery, Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, No. 82 Zhongshan Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin, 150036, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Qunhong Wu
- Center for Policy and Management Research, School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, No. 157 Baojian Road, Nangang District, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China.
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Guo Z, Zheng L, Fu M, Li H, Bai L, Guan X, Shi L. Effects of the Full Coverage Policy of Essential Medicines on Inequality in Medication Adherence: A Longitudinal Study in Taizhou, China. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:802219. [PMID: 35185563 PMCID: PMC8850774 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.802219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The full coverage policy for essential medicines (FCPEMs) was proposed and implemented in Taizhou city of Zhejiang Province, China, to promote equal access and adherence to medicines. This study aimed to examine the effects of FCPEMs on the income-related inequality in medication adherence among local patients with hypertension or diabetes. We collected electronic health records of patients with hypertension or diabetes of three districts of Taizhou from 2011 to 2016. As the implementation schedule of the FCPEMs varied across districts, we applied a retrospective longitudinal study design and assigned records from 1 year before to 3 years following the implementation of FCPEMs as baseline and follow-up data. We thus generated a dataset with 4-year longitudinal data. The concentration index (CI) and its decomposition method were employed to measure factors contributing to inequality in medication adherence and the role played by FCPEMs. The sample size rose from 264,836 at the baseline to 315,677, 340,512, and 355,676 by each follow-up year, and the proportion of patients taking free medicines rose from 17.6 to 25.0 and 29.8% after FCPEMs implementation. The proportion of patients with high adherence increased from 39.9% at baseline to 51.6, 57.2, and 60.5%, while CI decreased from 0.073 to −0.011, −0.029, and −0.035. The contribution of FCPEMs ranked at 2nd/13, 7th/13, and 2nd/13 after the implementation of FCPEMs. Changes in CI of medication adherence for every 2 years were −0.084, −0.018, and −0.006, and the contribution of FCPEMs was −0.006, 0.006, and 0.007, ranking at 2nd/13, 2nd/13, and 1st/13, respectively. Most changes in CI of medication adherence can be attributed to FCPEMs. The medication adherence of patients with hypertension or diabetes improved after the implementation FCPEMs in Taizhou, although inequality did not improve consistently. In general, FCPEMs could be a protective factor against income-related inequalities in access and adherence to medicines. Future research is needed to investigate the change mechanism and the optimal design of similar interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhigang Guo
- Department of Pharmacy, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
- International Research Center for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Liguang Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Mengyuan Fu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Huangqianyu Li
- International Research Center for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Bai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaodong Guan
- International Research Center for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaodong Guan,
| | - Luwen Shi
- International Research Center for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
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14
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Fu XZ. Financial protection effects of private health insurance: experimental evidence from Chinese households with resident basic medical insurance. Int J Equity Health 2021; 20:122. [PMID: 34001149 PMCID: PMC8130397 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-021-01468-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND After achieving universal basic medical insurance coverage, Chinese government put the development of private health insurance (PHI) on its agenda to further strengthen financial risk protection. This paper aims to assess the level of financial protection that PHI provides for its insured households on the basis of resident basic medical insurance (RBMI). METHODS We employed balanced panel data collected between 2015 and 2017 from the China Household Finance Survey (CHFS). Catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and impoverishment due to health spending were applied to measure the financial protection effects. Random effects panel logistic regression model was performed to identify the factors associated with CHE and impoverishment among households covered by RBMI. In the robustness test, the method of propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to solve the problem of endogeneity. RESULTS From 2015 to 2017, the CHE incidence increased from 12.96 to 14.68 % for all sampled households, while the impoverishment rate decreased slightly from 5.43 to 5.32 % for all sampled households. In 2015, the CHE incidence and impoverishment rate under RBMI + PHI were 4.53 and 0.72 %, respectively, which were lower than those under RBMI alone. A similar phenomenon was observed in 2017. Regression analysis also showed that the households with RBMI + PHI were significantly less likely to experience CHE (marginal effect: -0.054, 95 %CI: -0.075 to -0.034) and impoverishment (marginal effect: -0.049, 95 %CI: -0.069 to -0.028) compared to those with RBMI alone. The results were still robust after using PSM method to eliminate the effects of self-selection on the estimation results. CONCLUSIONS In the context of universal basic medical insurance coverage, the CHE incidence and impoverishment rate of Chinese households with RBMI were still considerably high in 2015 and 2017. PHI played a positive role in decreasing household financial risk on the basis of RBMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Zhi Fu
- School of Political Science and Public Administration, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China.
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15
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Liu Y, Liu N, Cheng M, Peng X, Huang J, Ma J, Wang P. The changes in socioeconomic inequalities and inequities in health services utilization among patients with hypertension in Pearl River Delta of China, 2015 and 2019. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:903. [PMID: 33980187 PMCID: PMC8117279 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-10879-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Assessing inequities in health services utilization contributes to build effective strategies for health equity promotion. This study aimed to evaluate the socioeconomic inequalities and inequities in health services utilization among hypertensive patients and explore the changes between 2015 and 2019 in Pearl River Delta of China. Methods The cross-sectional surveys were conducted using the questionnaire. Eight hundred thirty and one thousand one hundred sixty-six hypertensive patients in 2015 and 2019 were interviewed, respectively. The concentration index (CI) and the horizontal inequity index (HI) were used to access the socioeconomic inequalities and horizontal inequities in outpatient and inpatient health services use. The contribution of influential factors to the overall inequalities was estimated via the concentration index decomposition. Oaxaca-type decomposition technique was utilized to measure the changes in socioeconomic inequalities between the observation periods. Results In 2015 and 2019, the CIs for outpatient and inpatient utilization decreased from 0.1498 to 0.1198, 0.1982 to 0.1648, respectively, and the HIs for outpatient and inpatient utilization decreased from 0.1478 to 0.1078, 0.1956 to 0.1390, respectively. Economic status contributed the maximum ratio of the socioeconomic inequalities in the use of outpatient service (81.05% in 2015, 112.89% in 2019) and inpatient service (82.46% in 2015, 114.68% in 2019) in these 2 years. Oaxaca decomposition revealed that educational level (78.30% in outpatient, 53.79% in inpatient) and time to the nearest health facilities (66.78% in outpatient, 31.06% in inpatient) made the main positive contributions to decline the inequalities. While the main factor pushing the equalities toward deterioration was economic status (− 46.11% in outpatient, −76.56% in inpatient). Conclusion There were certain declines in the socioeconomic inequalities and inequities in health services utilization by hypertensive patients in Pearl River Delta of China over time. The widening economic gap was the largest contribution to the observed inequalities. Interventions to protect the vulnerable group deserve further concern from policy makers. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-10879-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- Institute of Chronic Disease Risks Assessment, Henan University, Jinming Campus, Kaifeng, Henan, China.,School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Nan Liu
- Institute of Chronic Disease Risks Assessment, Henan University, Jinming Campus, Kaifeng, Henan, China
| | - Mengjiao Cheng
- School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xin Peng
- School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Junxuan Huang
- School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jinxiang Ma
- School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Peixi Wang
- Institute of Chronic Disease Risks Assessment, Henan University, Jinming Campus, Kaifeng, Henan, China.
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Fu XZ, Sun QW, Sun CQ, Xu F, He JJ. Urban-rural differences in catastrophic health expenditure among households with chronic non-communicable disease patients: evidence from China family panel studies. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:874. [PMID: 33957893 PMCID: PMC8101026 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-10887-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) challenges the Chinese health system reform. Little is known for the differences in catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) between urban and rural households with NCD patients. This study aims to measure the differences above and quantify the contribution of each variable in explaining the urban-rural differences. Methods Unbalanced panel data were obtained from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) conducted between 2012 and 2018. The techniques of Fairlie nonlinear decomposition and Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition were employed to measure the contribution of each independent variable to the urban-rural differences. Results The CHE incidence and intensity of households with NCD patients were significantly higher in rural areas than in urban areas. The urban-rural differences in CHE incidence increased from 8.07% in 2012 to 8.18% in 2018, while the urban-rural differences in CHE intensity decreased from 2.15% in 2012 to 2.05% in 2018. From 2012 to 2018, the disparity explained by household income and self-assessed health status of household head increased to some extent. During the same period, the contribution of education attainment to the urban-rural differences in CHE incidence decreased, while the contribution of education attainment to the urban-rural differences in CHE intensity increased slightly. Conclusions Compared with urban households with NCD patients, rural households with NCD patients had higher risk of incurring CHE and heavier economic burden of diseases. There was no substantial change in urban-rural inequality in the incidence and intensity of CHE in 2018 compared to 2012. Policy interventions should give priority to improving the household income, education attainment and health awareness of rural patients with NCDs. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-10887-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Zhi Fu
- School of Political Science and Public Administration, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Qi-Wei Sun
- School of International Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China.
| | - Chang-Qing Sun
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China
| | - Fei Xu
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China
| | - Jun-Jian He
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China
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Sagie S, Na'amnih W, Frej J, Alpert G, Muhsen K. Associations of psychosocial factors, knowledge, attitudes and practices with hospitalizations in internal medicine divisions in different population groups in Israel. Int J Equity Health 2021; 20:105. [PMID: 33879185 PMCID: PMC8056509 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-021-01444-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inequalities in healthcare utilization exist across ethnic groups; however, the contributions of health-related knowledge and psychosocial factors to these inequalities remain unclear. We examined associations of social determinants of health, psychological factors, knowledge, attitudes and health practices, with hospitalizations in internal medicine divisions, among Israeli adults, Jews and Arabs, with non-communicable diseases, in a setting of universal health insurance. METHODS A retrospective study was undertaken among 520 Jews and Arabs aged 40 years or older with non-communicable diseases, members of a large health maintenance organization. Hospitalization (at least once during 2008) in an internal medicine division was determined based on documentation in electronic health records. Participants were randomly selected in strata of sex, population-group and hospitalization status (yes/no). Data were collected from medical records and via face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Main independent variables included comorbidity burden, health behaviors, mental health wellbeing and self-rated health. Scales measuring health knowledge and attitudes/beliefs were constructed using factor analysis. RESULTS Comorbidity burden (OR 1.41 [95% CI 1.24-1.61]) and self-rated health (not good vs. good) (OR 1.88 [95% CI 1.13-3.12]) were positively associated with hospitalizations in an internal medicine division, while an inverse association was found with better mental health wellbeing (OR 0.98 [95% CI 0.96-0.99, for each 1-point score increase). Among Jewish participants, positive associations were found of the number of offspring, comorbidity burden and perceived difficulty, with hospitalizations. No significant associations were found with hospitalizations of other sociodemographics, health behaviors, knowledge and attitudes/beliefs. CONCLUSIONS Comorbidity burden was the main risk factor of hospitalizations in internal medicine divisions. Psychosocial factors, such as self-rated health, a complex variable affected by social capital, mental wellbeing, the number of offspring, and perceived burden and difficulty, seem also to contribute. These findings suggest the involvement of broad family and social factors, beyond individual level characteristics and medical needs, in hospitalizations in internal medicine divisions. Interventions to reduce hospitalizations should be comprehensive and integrate aspects of mental health wellbeing; they should build on familial characteristics (e.g., number of offspring), factors related to social capital such as self-rated health, and perceived burden and difficulty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shira Sagie
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 6139001, Tel Aviv, Israel. .,Department of Oncology, Sheba Medical Center, 52621, Ramat Gan, Israel.
| | - Wasef Na'amnih
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 6139001, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Juda Frej
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 6139001, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | | | - Khitam Muhsen
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 6139001, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Xu M, Gao X, Wu H, Ding M, Zhang C, Du S, Wang X, Feng X, Tai B, Hu D, Lin H, Wang B, Wang C, Zheng S, Liu X, Rong W, Wang W, Xu T, Si Y. Measuring and decomposing socioeconomic-related inequality in the use of oral health services among Chinese adults. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2020; 49:47-54. [PMID: 32959367 DOI: 10.1111/cdoe.12575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to measure socioeconomic-related inequality and horizontal inequity in the use of oral health services and decompose this inequality among adults of different age groups in China. METHODS In total, 10 973 adults (3669 aged 35-44 years, 3767 aged 55-64 years and 3537 aged 65-74 years) who participated in the 4th National Oral Health Survey (2015-2016) in China were included. Concentration curves and the Erreygers-corrected concentration index (EI) were employed to measure socioeconomic-related inequality in the use of oral health services. Then, inequity in this utilization was measured by the horizontal inequity index (HI). Furthermore, decomposition analyses were conducted for the three groups to explain the contributions of income level, need factors (ie self-assessed oral health and evaluated oral health status), other factors (ie sex, residential location, educational attainment level and type of basic insurance) and a residual term to overall inequality in oral health service utilization. RESULTS The significant positive EI and HI values indicated that pro-rich inequality and inequity in oral health service utilization exist among Chinese adults. Income and type of basic medical insurance contributed the most to socioeconomic-related inequality in the use of oral health services among adults aged 55-64 and 65-74 years. However, the main driving factors of socioeconomic inequality among adults aged 35-44 years in dental care use included income, educational achievement, type of basic medical insurance and residential location. The need variables accounted for a very small proportion of overall socioeconomic-related inequality in oral health service use in all three groups. CONCLUSIONS Oral healthcare service utilization was disproportionately concentrated among better-off Chinese adults. The primary determinants of inequality in dental care use in different age groups provide information for policymakers to create more targeted policies to achieve equity in the oral healthcare system in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengru Xu
- Department of Preventive Dentistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoli Gao
- Department of Preventive Dentistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Huijing Wu
- Department of Preventive Dentistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Min Ding
- Department of Preventive Dentistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Chunzi Zhang
- Department of Preventive Dentistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Shuo Du
- Department of Preventive Dentistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Xing Wang
- Chinese Stomatological Association, Beijing, China
| | - Xiping Feng
- Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Baojun Tai
- School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Deyu Hu
- West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huancai Lin
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yetsen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Chinese Stomatological Association, Beijing, China
| | - Chunxiao Wang
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Shuguo Zheng
- Department of Preventive Dentistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Xuenan Liu
- Department of Preventive Dentistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Wensheng Rong
- Department of Preventive Dentistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Weijian Wang
- Department of Preventive Dentistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Xu
- Department of Preventive Dentistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Si
- Department of Preventive Dentistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
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