The role of Construction of Healthcare Consortium on the allocation of human resources for primary care resources and its equity in China

Abstract

Objectives This study aims to measure the effect of Construction of Healthcare Consortium (CHC) on the allocation and equity of human resources (HR) for primary health care (PHC) in China, at the same time, it provides some data to support the government's policies improvement in the next stage. Methods: Changes in the equity of allocation of HR for PHC by population are demonstrated through a three-stage approach to inequality analysis that includes the Gini coefficient (G), the Theil index (T), the concentration index (CI) and concentration curve. The GM(1,1) model is used to project the trend of resources from 2021 to 2030. Results: Volume of HR for PHC accelerates at an average rate of growth following the release of CHC in the 2016. whilst some regions have seen their G and T rise between 2012 and 2016, their levels of inequality of allocation for resource shave gradually declined in the years following 2016, but there are exceptions, with the regions of northeast and northwest seeing the opposite. Eastern and northern region account for a larger contribution to intra-regional inequality. Concentration indices and concentration curves indicate that HR for PHC is related to economic income levels. GM (1, 1) projects an increasing trend in resources from 2021 to 2030, but with variations in average growth rates in different regions. Conclusions: The inequality of human resources for primary health care in China is low, however, the inequality between regions has not been eliminated. We still need to take a long-term view to monitor the impact of CHC on the allocation of HR for PHC and its equity in China.