The Equity of Community Nurses Human Resources Allocation in China from 2012 to 2022
摘要
Background Community health services are important in achieving universal health coverage, with nursing workforce allocation directly impacting service accessibility and quality. While existing researches mainly focuses on the allocation of nursing resources in hospital, data on community nurses in China remain limited. Objective This study aims to evaluates trends and equity in the allocation of community nurses in China from 2012 to 2022, providing insights for optimizing resource distribution. Methods Data were sourced from the 2013-2017 China Health and Family Planning Statistical Yearbook, the 2018-2022 China Health and Wellness Statistical Yearbook, the 2013-2022 China Statistical Yearbook, and the 2023 China Health Statistics Abstract. A descriptive analysis was conducted from February to May 2024. The Lorenz curve, Gini coefficient and agglomeration degree were employed to assess the distribution and equity of community nurses. Results From 2012 to 2022, the number of community nurses increased from 128 652 to 252 568 with an average annual growth rate of 6.98%. By 2021, the proportion of community nurses with a bachelor's degree rose from 6.8% to 33.0%. The Gini coefficients for population and geographic distribution were 0.13 and 0.70, respectively, indicating significant regional disparities in nurse allocation. Conclusion The quantity and quality of community nurses in China have improved significantly, yet disparities persist. Regional variations in allocation remain, with population-based distribution being more equitable than geographical distribution. Future efforts should focus on strengthening the community nursing workforce and enhancing equity in resource allocation.