Measuring inequalities in the distribution of health workers: the case of Tanzania

Abstract

Background: The overall human resource shortages and the distributional inequalities in the health workforce in many developing countries are well acknowledged. However, little has been done to measure the degree of inequality systematically. Moreover, few attempts have been made to analyse the implications of using alternative measures of health care needs in the measurement of health workforce distributional inequalities. Most studies have implicitly relied on population levels as the only criterion for measuring health care needs. This paper attempts to achieve two objectives. First, it describes and measures health worker distributional inequalities in Tanzania on a per capita basis; second, it suggests and applies additional health care needs indicators in the measurement of distributional inequalities.

An Assessment of the Human Resource in Eye Care in the Upper East Region, Ghana

“…This trend of uneven distribution of health care personnel (especially eye care workforce) has been reported in other studies [10][11][12][13][14][15]. Studies in Ghana [16], Nigeria [10,17] and Afghanistan [18] reported eye care personnel's were woefully inadequate and poorly distributed.…”

Level and Correlates of Self-medication among Adults in a Rural Setting of Mainland Tanzania

“…Besides providing prescribable drugs, they also go beyond by advising clients what drugs to use in case of a particular illness and therefore become major source of advising use of SM drugs [23,24] . It is not surprising, the pharmacy personnel to be the main source behind people practicing SM in such an area with few health care facilities and personnel [25] .…”

Relative inequalities in geographic distribution of health care resources in Kermanshah province, Islamic Republic of Iran

“…Previous studies have mainly focused either on inequality in the distribution of health workers or of health care resources (8,(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16). However, sound decisions are dependent on timely and accurate information concerning the distribution all needed health care resources.…”