Equitable Distribution of Public Hospitals According to Health Needs in Malaysia: Does It Exist or Not?

This study aims to examine whether acute Ministry of Health hospital beds are distributed according to population health needs in various states within Peninsular Malaysia. The health needs of each state are indicated by the crude death rate. Comparisons of the share of hospital beds to that of population with differential health needs were assessed using concentration curve and index. In most years between 1995 and 2010, the distribution of hospital beds in Peninsular Malaysia were concentrated among states with higher health needs. This is in line with the principle of vertical equity and could be one advantage of a central federal government that can allocate health care resources to prioritize states with higher health care needs.
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: 46th APACPH Conference Supplement Source Type: research