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Regional Disparity in Health and Health Care in China

Author

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  • Hong Wang

    (Yale University)

  • Licheng Zhang

    (Beijing University)

  • Heng-fu Zou

    (The World Bank)

Abstract

One major critique of the Chinese economic reform focuses on disparities in development. This study examines the recent trends in the disparities in health and health care resources across the provinces. This study also examines the relationship between health status, health care resources, and socioeconomic status. A panel data from "All China Data" and China Health Statistic Yearbooks is used in this study. These data include health status, health care resources, and socioeconomic status variables at the provincial level from 1980 to 2003. Index of disparity was used as the indicator for measuring regional disparity in health and health care resources. A fixed effect model was used to estimate the relationships between health status and health care resources and their potential determinants. The results of this study show that the disparities in maternal mortality, number of beds, and number of doctors increased and then declined in most recent years. However, the values of their indexes of disparity in 2002 are still higher than their values in 1985. Therefore the disparities in health status and health care resources across the provinces increased after the economic reform. The results of this study also suggest that socioeconomic status has significant association with health status and health care resources. The association between socioeconomic indicators and health status and health care resources varies in different economic zones.

Suggested Citation

  • Hong Wang & Licheng Zhang & Heng-fu Zou, 2012. "Regional Disparity in Health and Health Care in China," CEMA Working Papers 541, China Economics and Management Academy, Central University of Finance and Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:cuf:wpaper:541
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Ma, Chao & Gu, Hai & Han, Jianyu, 2013. "我国健康服务利用的机会不平等研究:基于chns2009 数据的实证分析 [A Study on the Inequality of Opportunity in Health Care Utilization:Evidence from CHNS 2009]," MPRA Paper 53765, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Bakkeli, Nan Zou, 2016. "Income inequality and health in China: A panel data analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 39-47.

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