Abstract
Objectives: To examine differences in health system responsiveness across different sectors in China and to compare to other Asian countries. Methods: The World Health Survey was implemented in a nationally representative sample in China and 10 additional Asian countries from 2002-2003. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to gather health care utilization and health systems responsiveness data. Results: Overall health system responsiveness in China was better for the inpatient than the outpatient health system. Differences were seen by domain, with prompt attention and respectful treatment performing better than the other domains. Differences in responsiveness were seen by socio- demographic characteristics, with women and younger respondents rating inpatient systems, whereas men and higher educated respondents rated outpatient systems, more responsive. Conclusions: As populations age, health care systems will come under more pressures – responsiveness can be used by governments to guide policy and system improvement efforts when resources are limited. In China, reforms might prioritize outpatient system responsiveness.
Highlights
Responsiveness of a health care system involves assessing individual experiences
It is anticipated that a responsive health system contributes to improved health outcomes and cost-efficiencies [8,9]
Health conditions predetermine the probability of health service utilization, and providing information about a system’s responsiveness will help to maximize the efficiency of future care systems
Summary
Responsiveness of a health care system involves assessing individual experiences. Compiling these experiences at a population level provide valuable inputs for policy and planning, especially for a country like China which has gone through significant changes in their systems over the past few decades (health policies in the 1970’s (“barefoot” doctors to private health care) and social policies in 1980’s (in particular, related to fertility)) and the ongoing health transition [1,2,3,4,5,6]. The economic impacts for society increasingly concerned with adult health needs may be mitigated by a highly responsive health care system. Responsiveness will be one mechanism for monitoring how well the health care system adapts to future population health profiles
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