Assessment inequality in access to public cardiovascular health services in Iran
Mohammad Meskarpour-Amiri1, Nooredin Dopeykar2, Ahmad Ameryoun3
1PhD Student of Health Economics, Health Management Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical sciences, Tehran, Iran, & Faculty of Management and Economics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. mailer.amiri@gmail.com.
Insights
This study analyzed the geographical distribution of cardiovascular health services in Iran. While descriptive statistics showed some unevenness, the Gini coefficient indicated no significant inequality in access to CCU beds and cardiologists.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
- Cardiovascular Medicine
Background:
- Access to cardiovascular health services is crucial for preventing heart damage.
- Geographical distribution of these services can significantly impact patient outcomes.
- Inequalities in access may disproportionately affect certain populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the inequality in the geographical distribution of cardiovascular health services in Iran.
- To analyze the spatial distribution of Coronary Care Unit (CCU) beds and cardiologists across Iranian provinces.
- To provide data for improving equitable access to cardiac care.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study utilizing 2012 census demographic data from all 31 Iranian provinces.
- Calculation of Gini coefficients for CCU beds and cardiologists per 100,000 population to measure distribution equality.
- Data analysis performed using MS Excel.
Main Results:
- The study found 4.88 CCU beds and 1.27 cardiologists per 100,000 population in Iran.
- Gini coefficients for CCU beds and cardiologists were 0.129 and 0.045, respectively, indicating low inequality.
- Descriptive statistics revealed some skewness in the distribution of services.
Conclusions:
- While Gini coefficients suggest no significant inequality in the distribution of CCU beds and cardiologists, descriptive statistics indicate unevenness.
- Equal distribution does not necessarily imply sufficient availability of these critical cardiovascular health resources.
- Further research is needed to ensure adequate and equitable access to cardiovascular care nationwide.
Abstract:
Background: Timely access to cardiovascular health services is necessary to prevent heart damages. The present study examined inequality in geographical distribution of cardiovascular health services in Iran. Methods: Present study is a cross-sectional study conducted using demographic data from all Iranian provinces (31 provinces) from 2012 census by the Statistics Center of Iran (SCI). The Gini coefficients of CCU beds and cardiologists were used to assess equality in access to cardiovascular health services in Iran. MS Excel software was used to calculate Gini coefficients. Results: The proportions of CCU bed and cardiologist per 100,000 population were 4.88 and 1.27, respectively; also the Gini coefficients were 0.129 and 0.045, respectively. Conclusion: Descriptive statistics showed a skewness in distribution of pubic cardiovascular health services in Iran, though Gini coefficient revealed no significant inequality. However, equal distribution of CCU beds and cardiovascular specialists does not mean they are sufficiently available in Iran.
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