Inequality in the Distribution of Healthcare Human Resources in Poland

Abstract

Human resources are the major input in health systems. Therefore, their equitable distribution remains critical in making progress towards the goal of sustainable development. The purpose of this study is to evaluate equity in the distribution of healthcare human resources across regions of Poland from 2010 to 2017. This research by applying specifically to Polish conditions will allow the existing gap in the literature to be closed. Data were derived from the Database of Statistics Poland, and the Lorenz Curve/Gini coefficient was engaged as well as the Theil index to measure the extent and drivers of inequality in the distribution of healthcare human resources in macro-regions. Population size along with crude death rates are employed as proxies for healthcare need/demand. This research has several major findings. Mainly, it was found, that the geographical distribution of all types of human resources is less equitable than is the case with population distribution. Relatively lower equity in the access to oncologists, family doctors, and cardiologists was found. There are some noticeable differences between macro-regions in the equity level of healthcare human resources distribution. This research provides various implications for policy and practice and will allow for improved planning and more efficient use of these resources.

Socioeconomic Determinants of Health and Their Unequal Distribution in Poland

“…The Theil index ranges between 0 and ∞, where zero represents an equal distribution and any higher value represents a higher level of disproportion. Other commonly used methods to measure the level of inequity in the context of health and health care are the Gini index [38,52,59] and concentration index [57,58,60]. Compared with the Gini coefficient, when estimating regional differences, the Theil index allows sub-groups to be broken down within the context of larger groups.…”

“…The uneven distribution of socioeconomic determinants contributes to intergroup differences in health outcomes, both within and between societies [31], which is a major obstacle in achieving health justice [36]. Thus, ensuring health equity requires the elimination of unfair and avoidable differences in health among population groups, which are defined economically, socially, geographically or demographically [37,38].…”

Regional Disparities of Rehabilitation Resources for Persons with Disabilities in China: Data from 2014 to 2019

“…Conversely, a standardized Theil Index value of 1 represents a state of perfect inequality, where one region has all the variables of interest. The Theil Index has been tested in a series of areas, such as the economic [ 24 ], energy [ 25 ], and health sectors [ 26 ], to evaluate equity and disparity. The formula of the Theil Index is as follows: where p i represents the proportion of the unit RPDs accounting for the aggregation in one region and y i represents the unit’s rehabilitation resource accounting for the aggregation in one region.…”

The Field of “Public Health” as a Component of Sustainable Development—Poland Compared to the European Union

“…As inequalities in access to health services can lead to health deterioration (especially during and after the COVID-19 "era"), countries have taken action for sustainable development. In defining the objectives of the action in the 2030 Agenda, it was pointed out that the public health objective can be achieved through, e.g., more efficient financing of health care [58]. It is the size of the level of health expenditure that primarily describes the efficiency of the health system in each country [59].…”