Assessing the inequality of health distribution among the provinces of Iran during the Fifth Development Plan (۲۰۱۱-۲۰۱۵)

Background: Health, both physically and mentally, raises the level of human capital. This study aims to challenge the performance of the Fifth Development Plan (۲۰۱۱-۲۰۱۵) regarding inequality in the distribution of health facilities among the provinces of the country.  Methods: This study is analytical cross sectional. In this research, using the TOPSIS method and using the Gini coefficient index and inequality ratios, was evaluated the distribution of health facilities among the provinces of the country. Also, to determine the degree of health development among the provinces of the country, from ۱۳ indices including hospital per capita, hospital bed per capita, health house per capita, health center per capita, laboratory per capita, pharmacy per capita, general practitioner per capita, specialist physician per capita and other health care staff per capita were used. The software used in this research is SPSS ۲۵. Results: The results show that in ۲۰۱۱, the provinces of Tehran, Khorasan Razavi and Isfahan were at the highest level and the provinces of South Khorasan, Ilam and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad were at the lowest level in this regard. While, in ۲۰۱۵, the provinces of Tehran, Khorasan Razavi maintained their previous position and Fars province was in the third place. The province of Ilam, was still at the lowest level. The Gini coefficient of distribution of health facilities among the provinces of the country in ۲۰۱۱ was ۰.۴۹, and increased to ۰.۵۲ in ۲۰۱۵. The share ratio of the top ۲۰% to the bottom ۲۰% among the provinces in terms of enjoying health facilities in ۲۰۱۱ and ۲۰۱۵ was equal to ۳۲ and ۳۷, respectively. Conclusion: The severity of inequality of health facilities among the provinces of the country has intensified during the Fifth Plan. The results show that the provinces have a significant difference in their position in access to health facilities and this indicates equal distribution of health facilities among the provinces of the country.

Keywords:

Provinces of the Country , TOPSIS Method , Gini Coefficient , Inequality , Health Distribution , Development Plan , استان های کشور , روش تاپسیس , ضریب جینی , نابرابری , توزیع سلامت , برنامه توسعه