Does Rapid and Sustained Economic Growth Lead to Convergence in Health Resources: The Case of China From 1980 to 2010

Liang, Di; Zhang, Donglan; Huang, Jiayan; Schweitzer, Stuart

Concerning health inequality in China, geographic variation of health system performance is examined at the provincial level. The degree of sigma convergence and beta convergence is measured for indicators of structure, process, and outcome of the health system. Sigma convergence is found in resource indicators like the number of physicians per thousand people, whereas it is not observed in process and outcome indicators. Beta convergence is found in most indicators, except for 2 procedure indicators. Thus, over the 30 years of economic growth, not all health indicators have achieved convergence, and when sigma convergence did occur in structure indicators, it is still uncertain whether real equity has been achieved. It represents a call for more central government resources allocated to resource-poor areas, and more efforts to promote health equity in the society, to possibly translating economic benefits into more equitable distribution of health care resources.