Abstract
Worldwide countries are recognising the need for and significance of universal health coverage (UHC); however, health inequality continues to persist. This study evaluates the status and equity of residents’ demand for and utilisation of health services and expenditure by considering the three components of universal health coverage, urban-rural differences, and different income groups. Sample data from China’s Fifth Health Service Survey were analysed and the ‘five levels of income classification’ were used to classify people into income groups. This study used descriptive analysis and concentration index and concentration curve for equity evaluation. Statistically significant differences were found in the demand and utilisation of health services between urban and rural residents. Rural residents’ demand and utilisation of health services decreased with an increase in income and their health expenditure was higher than that of urban residents. Compared with middle- and high-income rural residents, middle- and lower-income rural residents faced higher hospitalisation expenses; and, compared with urban residents, equity in rural residents’ demand and utilisation of health services, and annual health and hospitalisation expenditures, were poorer. Thus, equity of health service utilisation and expenditure for urban and rural residents with different incomes remain problematic, requiring improved access and health policies.
Highlights
The World Health Organisation (WHO) regards quality, equity, and efficiency as the three major health system goals
Health financing aims to improve the health of the population, ensure the prevention of economic risk protection against diseases, and promote satisfaction of the health service needs of residents
Based on the vertical equity principle of ‘the poor pay less, and the rich pay more’ in health expenditure, our study found an inequality in the two-weeks pre-survey outpatient expenditure of urban residents, while the annual medical and health expenditure and hospitalisation expenditures were fairer
Summary
The World Health Organisation (WHO) regards quality, equity, and efficiency as the three major health system goals. Since 2015, an important objective of the global development agenda has been to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) [1]. UHC requires that everyone should have access to quality health services they require, without facing economic difficulties [2]. The connotations of this agenda are embodied in the following two aspects: equal access to national basic health services and economic risk protection against diseases [3]. Health financing aims to improve the health of the population, ensure the prevention of economic risk protection against diseases, and promote satisfaction of the health service needs of residents. The evaluation indicators of economic risk prevention in health financing include poverty caused by catastrophic health expenditure of households and personal cash expenditure
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International journal of environmental research and public health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
