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Arid Land Geography ›› 2021, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (2): 594-603.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000–6060.2021.02.30

• Regional Development • Previous Articles    

Spatial-temporal evolution and influencing factors of health resources in underdeveloped areas based on geodetectors

ZHAO Haili(),WANG Qiwen(),ZHU Lixiang,LI Xiaoqin,TIAN Haoyu   

  1. College of Geography and Environment Science,Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
  • Received:2020-09-08 Revised:2020-11-16 Online:2021-03-25 Published:2021-04-14
  • Contact: Qiwen WANG E-mail:zhl.grase@163.com;Seven_wqw@163.com

Abstract:

Medical resources are the foundation of a quality health service system which in turn ensures a safe and secure community, therefore, it is important to study regional differences in medical resources and identify the factors that influence them to optimize the planning and distribution of these resources for strategic deployment of the Healthy China Action Plan. Using Gansu Province, China as an example, the coefficient of variation, the Gini coefficient, the Theil index, and the form of decomposition as well as the agglomeration degree of health resources and spatiotemporal differences in the level and equilibrium of medical resources were analyzed for Gansu from 2010 to 2017. The factors affecting the spatial distribution of medical resources were identified using GeoDetector. The results reveal five important facts: (1) From 2010 to 2017, the level and equilibrium of medical resources in Gansu Province increased by 14.96%, which laid the foundation for equal access to basic public services, thereby improving the public service system. The growth rates of medical resources in Hexi, Longzhong, Longdong, and Longnan areas were 24.60%, 11.51%, 14.91%, and 12.28%, respectively, of which the Hexi area showed the most significant growth. (2) The level and equilibrium of allocation of medical resources presented a pattern of southeast superior to northwest. The level and equilibrium of medical resources in Longdong and Longzhong, which are areas of high economic status, were higher than the levels and equilibria in other areas, among which Lanzhou, Pingliang, and Longnan had relatively high equilibrium. (3) The level and equilibrium of medical resources per capita were better than those for individual geographic locales within Gansu Province, especially in the Hexi area because of its vast area and relatively small population which creates a per capita balance that is better than the average balance for the entire province. (4) The overall difference gradually decreased in Gansu Province over time, and consequently the balance of medical resources improved. At the same time, intraregional differences decreased but the regional difference gradually increased. The regional difference is the main contributor to the overall difference in Gansu. (5) Economic factors are the main factors impacting medical resources and the factors used to explain the interaction between the real GDP per capita, population aging, and other factors. The influence of natural factors on medical resources increased each year. The level of medical resources in regions of high economic status was relatively balanced, while remote areas had low levels of medical resources due to geographical and environmental constraints.

Key words: medical resources, equilibrium, regional differences, geodetectors