Comparing the needs and utilization of health services between urban residents and rural-to-urban migrants in China from 2012 to 2016

Sep 19, 2018BMC health services research

Differences in health service needs and use between city residents and rural migrants in China from 2012 to 2016

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Abstract

19.97% of respondents were rural-to-urban migrants in China, with an increasing trend from 2012 to 2016.

  • Rural-to-urban migrants reported a higher need for health services (11.99%) compared to urban residents (10.47%).
  • No differences in health care needs were observed between urban residents and migrants in 2012.
  • Health services utilization rates were similar for both groups across 2012, 2014, and 2016.
  • Factors such as increased age, male sex, poor medical insurance coverage, and dissatisfaction with income were associated with higher health care needs.

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Key numbers

11.99%
Health Service Needs Increase
Health service needs of rural-to-urban migrants vs. urban residents
60.02%
Health Service Utilization Rate
Utilization of health services among rural-to-urban migrants and urban residents
19.97%
Respondents Identified as Migrants
Proportion of respondents identified as rural-to-urban migrants

Full Text

What this is

  • This research compares health service needs and utilization between urban residents and rural-to-urban migrants in China from 2012 to 2016.
  • It utilizes longitudinal data from the Chinese Labor Dynamic Survey (CLDS) to analyze self-reported health issues and service usage.
  • Findings reveal that rural-to-urban migrants have higher health needs but similar health service utilization compared to urban residents.

Essence

  • Rural-to-urban migrants in China exhibit higher health care needs (11.99%) than urban residents (10.47%), yet both groups utilize health services at similar rates.

Key takeaways

  • Rural-to-urban migrants had a higher reported need for health services (11.99%) compared to urban residents (10.47%). This indicates a disparity in health needs between these populations.
  • Despite higher health service needs, there was no significant difference in health service utilization between rural-to-urban migrants and urban residents across the study years.
  • Factors such as age, male sex, poor medical insurance coverage, and dissatisfaction with income negatively impacted health care needs, highlighting socioeconomic influences on health.

Caveats

  • The study's cross-sectional design limits causal inferences regarding health needs and utilization. Additionally, self-reported data may introduce recall bias.
  • Variability in health service needs was noted, particularly a significant drop from 2012 to 2014, suggesting potential inconsistencies in data collection methods.

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