Fairness or Not? Health Resources Allocation in Chongqing—Based on Theil Index

Yu Wang¹, Qing Tu, Qin Lai², Li Huang³

The School of Public Health and Management, Center for Medicine and Social Development, The Innovation Center for Social Risk Governance in Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
The School of Public Health and Management, Center for Medicine and Social Development, The Innovation Center for Social Risk Governance in Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Yongchuan Hospital Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.

DOI: 10.4236/jss.2015.37020                

Abstract

Object: To Provide a basis for the government optimizing the allocation of health resources. Methods: The overall fairness was analyzed by Theil index and Gini coefficient. The main causes of unfairness were estimated by the decomposability of Thiel index. Results: Health resources owned by the “One-hour Economic Circle” were 1.5 - 2 times than that of the “Two wings”. Theil index and Gini coefficient of five health resources from small to large were sickbed, doctor, health worker, nurse, and medical equipment. Differences within region in the contribution rate of the total Theil index were greater than the difference between region and the tendency to expand. Conclusions: The total amount of the health resources in Chongqing is insufficient. The configuration of doctor is more equitable than nurse, while the medical equipment’ fairness is worst. Differences within region mainly cause the unfairness.

Keywords

Health Resource, Theil Index, Fairness, Gine Coefficient

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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