Inequality and Heterogeneity in Medical Resources for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Study in the Ethnic Minority Region of Southern China

Abstract

Background In recent years, medical interventional treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been gradually introduced in medical institutions in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China. However, the allocation of these medical resources has been uneven. This study describes the spatial allocation of medical resources for children with ASD in Guangxi, evaluates their supply and utilization, and expounds on their correlations with socioeconomic and demographic conditions. Methods This study was based on a special survey conducted from 2021 to 2022 by the Guangxi Disabled Rehabilitation Research Center. The number of medical institutions for children with ASD (MIIs), average number of ASD technicians per 10,000 target people (CTPP), and coverage rate of medical interventions (CMI) were set as dependent variables, while population density, proportion of town residents, total retail sales of consumer goods, disposable income per capita gross domestic product per capita (GDPpc), and number of enterprises above designated size were set as independent variables, all of which were included in the spatial statistical model. The main analysis methods was multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR). Results The allocation of MIIs (Moran's I = 0.119, p = 0.007), CTPP (Moran's I = 0.208, p = 0.017), and CMI (Moran's I = 0.251, p = 0.004) in Guangxi showed significant spatial autocorrelation. The medical resources formed high-value hot spots in major districts of core cities, while the medical resources were scarce in some remote ethnic minority counties and densely populated areas in southeastern Guangxi. MIIs showed significant spatial correlations with population density (EV=-0.225, p = 0.001), proportion of town residents (EV = 0.255, p = 0.002), total retail sales of consumer goods (EV = 0.806, p < 0.001), and disposable income per capita (EV=-0.267, p < 0.001). CTPP showed significant correlations with population density (EV = 0.211, p = 0.019), GDPpc (EV = 0.267, p = 0.002), total retail sales of consumer goods (EV = 0.382, p < 0.001), and number of enterprises above designated size (EV=-0.242, p = 0.005). CMI showed a significant association with proportion of town residents (EV = 0.415, p < 0.001), total retail sales of consumer goods (EV = 0.273, p = 0.006), and number of enterprises above designated size (EV=-0.236, p = 0.003). Conclusions The spatial allocation of medical resources for children with ASD in Guangxi is heterogeneous, and correlates varyingly with regional socioeconomic conditions as well as urbanization and demographic conditions.