ArticleBMC health services research2018
Availability, use, and affordability of medicines in urban China under universal health coverage: an empirical study in Hangzhou and Baoji.
Article in BMC health services research, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- Assessing intervention effects on healthcare-related financial protection in low- and middle-income countries: a rapid evidence review.Health policy and planning · 2026Review
- Accessibility crisis of essential medicines at Sudanese primary healthcare facilities: a cross-sectional drugs' dispensaries assessment and patients' perspectives.International journal for equity in health · 2023Article
- Article
- Views of Pharmacists and Government Representatives Toward the Pilot Chief Pharmacist System in Chinese Hospitals: A Multicenter Exploratory Qualitative Study.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
- The effects of health system reform on medical services utilization and expenditures in China in 2004-2015.International health · 2021Article
- Article
- Towards universal health coverage: achievements and challenges of 10 years of healthcare reform in China.BMJ global health · 2020Review
- Multi-Level Social Health Insurance System in the Age of Frequent Employment Change: The Urban Unemployment-Induced Insurance Transition and Healthcare Utilization in China.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2019Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThis study aimed to examine the availability, use, and affordability of medicines in urban China following the 2009 Health Care System Reform that included implementation of universal health coverage (UHC).
methodsThis longitudinal study was performed in Hangzhou (high income, eastern China) and Baoji (lower income, western China). Five yearly household surveys were conducted (one each year from 2009 to 2013) to evaluate the impact of UHC on medicines use and expenditure, and a health facility survey was conducted in 2013 to evaluate availability of medicines. A cohort of over 800 households in Hangzhou and Baoji was established in 2009, and 20 hospitals were included in the health facility survey. Medicines use was determined using data from health facility and household surveys. An average, two-week out-of-pocket medicines expenditure was calculated to assess the affordability of medicines.
resultsThe number of medicines stocked in primary health facilities in Hangzhou decreased, while the number in Baoji increased. In Baoji, patients usually chose a pharmacy to buy medicines directly, despite the 48.2% increased availability of essential medicines in primary health care centers. The majority of survey respondents stated that their medicines need was basically met; however, medicines cost still accounted for a major part of their health expenditure. Medicines expenditure showed an increasing trend from 2009 to 2013. The average annual growth rate of household overall medical expenditure was significantly higher than that for household non-food consumption expenditure.
conclusionsFollowing China's Health Care System Reform and implementation of UHC, availability and use of medicines has improved in urban areas. However, the affordability of medicines is still a concern.
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