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

Yu Wang; Qing Tu; Qin Lai; Li Huang

doi:10.4236/jss.2015.37020

Home > Journals > Business & Economics | Social Sciences & Humanities > JSS

JSS> Vol.3 No.7, July 2015

Share This Article:

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

Abstract Full-Text HTML XML

Download as PDF (Size:494KB) PP. 117-123

DOI: 10.4236/jss.2015.37020 2,945 Downloads 3,366 Views Citations

Author(s) Leave a comment

Yu Wang¹, Qing Tu, Qin Lai², Li Huang³

Affiliation(s)

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.

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

Cite this paper

Wang, Y. , Tu, Q. , Lai, Q. and Huang, L. (2015) Fairness or Not? Health Resources Allocation in Chongqing—Based on Theil Index. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 3, 117-123. doi: 10.4236/jss.2015.37020.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	World Health Organization (2000) The World Health Report 2000: Health System. Improving Performance Printed in France, 144-150.

[2]	Alvarez, A.A. (2007) Threshold Considerations in Fair Allocation of Health Resources: Justice beyond Scarcity. Bioethics, 21, 426-438. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8519.2007.00580.x

[3]	Zhang, Y.Q., Tang, G.L. and Wang, W.C. (2008) Study on Equity of Health Resources Distribution in Chongqing City. Chongqing Yixue, 37, 131-133.

[4]	Feng, S.J., Xu, X.L. and Wen, C.G. (2012) Research on the Status and Equity of Health Resources Allocation of Chongqing. Modern Preventive Medicine, 39, 4433-4435.

[5]	Pan American Health Organization (2001) Measuring Health Inequalities: Gini Coefficient and Concentration Index. Epidemiological Bulletin, 22, 3-4.

[6]	Ishida, Y., Ohde, S., Takahashi, O., et al. (2012) Factors Affecting Health Care Utilization for Children in Japan. Pediatrics, 129, e113-e119. http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-1321

[7]	Alvarez, J.L., Kunst, A.E., Leinsalu, M., et al. (2011) Educational Inequalities in Tuberculosis Mortality in Sixteen European Populations. The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 15, 1461-1467. http://dx.doi.org/10.5588/ijtld.10.0252

[8]	Cookson, R. and Dolan, P. (2000) Principles of Justice in Health Care Ra-tioning. Journal of Medical Ethics, 26, 323- 329. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jme.26.5.323

[9]	Eaves, D. (1998) An Examination of the Concept of Equity and the Implications for Health Policy If Equity Is Re-Asserted as One of the Key Government Objectives for the National Health Service. Journal of Nursing Management, 6, 215-221. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2834.1998.00070.x

[10]	Wagstaff, A. (2002) Inequality Aversion, Health Inequalities and Health Achievement. Health Economics, 21, 627-641. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0167-6296(02)00006-1

[11]	Li, Y.R. and Wei, Y. (2010) A Spatial-Temporal Analysis of Health Care and Mortality Inequalities in China. Eurasian Geography and Economics, 51, 767-787. http://dx.doi.org/10.2747/1539-7216.51.6.767

[12]	Asante, A.D. and Zwi, AB. (2009) Factors Influencing Resource Allocation Decisions and Equity in the Health System of Ghana. Public Health, 123, 371-377. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2009.02.006

[13]	Wang, F., Zhu, X.L. and Ding, X. (2012) Analyzing the Status of Grassroots Health Human Resources Allocation in China and Its Equity. The Chinese Health Service Management, 2, 108-110.

[14]	Lei, G.H., Liu, R.M. and Chen, X.E. (2011) Constructing and Implementing the Performance Evaluation Management System of “Million Physician Supporting for the Rural Health Project”. Chinese Health Economics, 9, 75-78.

[15]	Dan, S.J. and Zhang, G.T. (2011) The Practice and Discussion of Medical Resources Integration in Shanghai Waigaoqiao District, Pudong New Area. Chinese Health Resources, 14, 325-326.