Health inequalities in Albania in the view of the delivery of general practitioners

Abstract

Background: The health staff has a vigorously changing nature and the regular certification of the delivery of health professionals is a constant policy concern. The objective of the present study was to observe available human medical resources in primary care and find out possible inequalities relating to the delivery of general practitioners in Albania between 2010 and 2012. Methods: With survey data, we examined the degree of inequality by calculating relative inequality indices. We plotted the Lorenz curves and calculated the Gini, Atkinson and Robin Hood indices and deciles ratios, both before and after adjusting for mortality and discussion rates. Results: The Gini index for the delivery of general practitioners in 2005 was 0.154. After adjusting for mortality it was 0.126, while after correcting for discussion rates it was 0.288. The Robin Hood index for 2000 was 11.2%, which belongs to 173 general practitioners who should be relocated in order to accomplish equality. The equivalent figure after adjusting for mortality was 9.2% (142 general practitioners), while after correcting for discussion rates the number was 20.6% (315). This evidence changed to 6.3% (100), 6.3% (115) and 19.8% (315) in 2004. Conclusion: There was a decreasing trend in the inequality of delivery of general practitioners in Albania between 2010 and 2012. The trend in inequality was obvious irrespective of the relative inequality indicator used. The level of inequality differed depending on the modification method used. Reallocation strategies for general practitioners in Albania could be the key in improving the inequalities in primary care health staff delivery.