Patient experience in community health services and first choice for medical attention: A cross-sectional study in Wuhan, China.

OBJECTIVES: In China, it is up to the patients to choose between hospitals and primary care facilities to initiate their medical care. This study aimed to determine the association between patient experience with community health centres (CHCs, a predominant provider of community-based primary care) and patient preference of taking community-based primary care facilities as a first choice for medical attention. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted on 1919 patients who sought medical care in 55 CHCs in Wuhan, China. Respondents were asked to identify their preferred first choice for medical attention and rate their satisfaction with eight aspects of CHCs (basic facility, medical equipment, medical services, nursing services, treatment process, courtesy and responsiveness, time spent with medical doctor, pharmacy services). Multivariate logistic regression models were established to determine the association between the CHC experience and the first choice of providers after adjustment for variations in sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: Over 90% of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the eight aspects of CHCs; but only 75% preferred to take community-based primary care facilities as their first choice for medical attention. Those who were older and had a lower income were more likely to choose community-based primary care facilities. Geographic proximity and higher levels of satisfaction with the basic facility, courtesy and responsiveness, and pharmacy services in the CHCs were associated with a higher likelihood of taking community-based primary care facilities as a first choice for medical attention. CONCLUSION: The consumers of CHCs are generally satisfied with the services they received. However, one quarter of the CHC patients are yet to be convinced to accept community-based primary care facilities as a preferred first provider for medical care. Geographic proximity and patient experience with CHCs are associated with the patient choice.

Attitudes and Response Capacities for Public Health Emergencies of Healthcare Workers in Primary Healthcare Institutions: A Cross-Sectional Investigation Conducted in Wuhan, China, in 2020.

OBJECTIVES: Response capacities for public health emergencies (PHEs) amongst healthcare workers play important roles in the prevention and control of PHEs. This study assessed the attitudes and response capacities of PHE workers in primary healthcare (PHC) institutions. METHODS: An online anonymous questionnaire survey of 803 healthcare workers sampled from 13 PHC institutions in Wuhan, China, was conducted from April to June 2020. The Kruskal-Wallis test and linear regression model were used to analyze the response capacities of PHE workers and associated factors. RESULTS: The healthcare workers with longer working years, particularly 30 years and above, had higher knowledge (OR = 7.323, p < 0.001) and practical ability scores (OR = 8.012, p < 0.001) when compared to those with less than 5 working years. The nurses had higher practical ability scores (OR = 2.188, p = 0.049), and pharmacists had lower practical ability scores (OR = 0.166, p = 0.007), when compared to doctors. Moreover, the healthcare workers who had never participated in educational activities related to PHE management in the past two years (OR = 0.540, p = 0.038; OR = 0.282, p = 0.001), had not participated in a PHE drill activity (OR = 0.327, p < 0.001; OR = 0.340, p = 0.004), and had never been involved in emergency management of PHEs (OR = 0.254, p < 0.001; OR = 0.174, p < 0.001) had lower knowledge and practical ability scores. CONCLUSION: The healthcare workers with longer working years had better response capacities, and nurses had better practical abilities when compared to doctors. More emergency management education and chances to be involved in PHE drill activities were encouraged amongst healthcare workers in PHC institutions for better prevention and control of PHEs. Moreover, inter-institution cooperation, a flexible response system, and dynamic adjustment of healthcare workers were suggested during PHEs.

Do Migrant Residents Really Achieve Health Equity by Obtaining Urban Hukou? A Comparative Study on Health Service Utilization and Urbanization in Central China.

Introduction: With more than 120 million rural-to-urban migrants, urbanization of the rural population requires deeply exploration in China. Objective: This study focused on settled citizens who obtained urban Hukou (household registration) during urbanization and investigated their perceptions of health services in China. Method: A cross-sectional comparison study with an original, closed questionnaire was conducted in two major cities of Hubei, central China, covering health status and both the satisfaction with and utilization of health services. In total, 863 residents with urban Hukou participated in this study; migrants formed the study group and original city residents formed the control group. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to reduce choice bias in the analysis steps. Besides basic description of the data, ordinary least squares regression (OLS regression) was used to discover the relationship between basic demographic indicators and health expenditure. Results: PSM yielded 290 effective pairs for analysis. The results indicated an improvement in health status for migrant residents (study group) with a higher average score of self-reported health status and lower prevalence of chronic diseases than the control group. These scores were also better than the standard urban level in central China. The study group showed a higher clinic visit utility (69.63%), lower hospitalization utility (8.28%), less convenience of health service utility, and lower health expenditure than the control group. For the study group, the biggest difference was observed in satisfaction with health service costs, which was the least improved aspect after they obtained urban Hukou. The regression results demonstrated that age, family size, living expenditures, and marital status impacted health costs in the overall model and the influences of these factors differed between the study and control groups. Conclusions: Obtaining urban Hukou helps migrant residents to meet their health service needs and receive equal access to health services. However, after obtaining urban Hukou, migrants also face great pressure in terms of health consumption. This study therefore offers guidance on the next steps for progressing China's urbanization.

Factors associated with the healthcare expenditures of patients with multiple sclerosis in urban areas of China estimated by a generalized estimating equation.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) has a significant healthcare burden. This study examined the medical cost and out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses, and quantified the impact factors contributing to the costs. Methods: This is a retrospective study in 77 Chinese urban cites from 2013 to 2015. The data included the details of the utilization of medical resources, cost, and reimbursement ratio of all patients with a diagnosis of MS. A generalized estimating equation model was used to estimate the factors influencing the direct medical cost and OOP expenses for in- and outpatients. Results: A total of 267 patients with MS were identified. The mean cost per in- and outpatient was respectively 16996.2 and 2294.2 renminbi ($2768.12 and $373.65, €2087.16 and €281.73). Approximately 27% of the expenses were paid by the patients OOP. Factors contributing to high cost and high OOP expenses for inpatients were tertiary hospital admission, length of stay and residence in the east regions of China. Females and outpatients with resident insurance paid more OOP. Conclusion: This study illustrates the medical costs and burden of MS in Chinese patients and provides real-world data on MS that are essential for the improvement of health policies.

Influence of family resources on secondhand smoking in pregnant women: a cross-sectional study in the border and minority urban areas of Northwest China.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women's exposure to secondhand smoke is a very serious health issue in China. The purpose of our research is to identify factors that predict the probability of exposure to secondhand smoke among pregnant women from the perspective of a family-based open system. METHODS: From September 2014 to August 2015, Urumqi City, Shihezi City, and Shawan County-level City were sampled according to population characteristics. A revised structured questionnaire based on family resources was adapted for use in this study. Questionnaires were collected via convenience sampling at the hospitals with the largest number of local antenatal clients. A total of 1249 pregnant women of age 18-51 years were investigated. Descriptive statistics were calculated to characterize the participants and study variables. Binary logistic regression was performed to assess the impact of family resources corresponding variables on the likelihood that participants would be exposed to SHS. Both unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (OR/AOR) [with 95% confidence intervals (CI)] were reported. RESULTS: The secondhand smoke exposure rate found in this study was 54.6%. Having good knowledge of the dangers of secondhand smoke had no effect on reducing the prevalence of exposure (P > 0.05). Even pregnant women whose husbands who did not use tobacco or never smoked nearby had a risk of exposure to secondhand smoke [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.568, 95% CI 1.205-2.041] when the data were adjusted for age, gravidity, gestational weeks, knowledge of the dangers of secondhand smoke, location, and work status. Home smoking bans were confirmed to be an important protective factor (AOR 1.710, 95% CI 1.549-1.918); however, only one-third (33.5%) of participants reported having a smoking ban at home. Religion (mainly Islam), as a special external family resource, was a protective factor that reduced secondhand smoke exposure in pregnant women (AOR 0.399, 95% CI 0.312-0.510). CONCLUSIONS: The effect of family resources on tobacco control should be considered in the development of effective and enduring strategies for indoor smoking bans and smoking cessation.

Correction to: Medical expenditure for patients with hemophilia in urban China: data from medical insurance information system from 2013 to 2015.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Medical expenditure for patients with hemophilia in urban China: data from medical insurance information system from 2013 to 2015.

BACKGROUND: Hemophilia, a high-cost disease, is the only rare disease covered by basic medical insurance in all province of China. However, very few studies have estimated the medical expenditure of patients with this rare disease Therefore, this study is aimed at evaluating the medical expenditure of patients with hemophilia and identifying its determinants. METHODS: The study population included 450 patients with hemophilia who were extracted from the national insurance database between 2014 and 2016. An independent-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was performed to compare the medical expenditure of patients with hemophilia covered under urban employee basic medical insurance (UEBMI) and urban residence basic medical insurance (URBMI). Quantile regression analysis was conducted to explore the factors that affect the medical expenditure of patients with hemophilia. RESULTS: The total annual medical expenditure of patients with hemophilia in 2013, 2014, and 2015 had median of ¥7167 (US$ 1156), ¥3522 (US$ 577), and ¥4197 (US$ 677), respectively. The median medical expenditures of patients with hemophilia covered by UEBMI were ¥10,991 (US$ 1773), ¥2301 (US$ 377) and ¥8074 (US$ 1302), those of patients covered by URBMI were ¥4000 (US$ 645), ¥5717 (US$ 937) and ¥3141 (US$ 507) from 2013 to 2015. The differences in the medical expenditure of patients with hemophilia between UEBMI and URBMI from 2013 to 2015 were statistically significant. The number of admissions and the number of hospital days were statistically significant and positive for all quantiles. The types of medical service were statistically significant and negative for 50th quantile, and the reimbursement ratio was statistically significant and positive for 50th and 75th quantiles. (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The medical expenditure of patients with hemophilia was lower than that of patients with other common rare diseases that were not included in the scope of basic medical insurance reimbursement. It was also observed that the medical expenditure was mainly influenced by the severity of disease, and partly affected by the reimbursement rate.

Out-of-pocket expenses for myasthenia gravis patients in China: a study on patients insured by basic medical insurance in China, 2013-2015.

BACKGROUND: Myasthenia gravis is a rare autoimmune neuromuscular disorder. The disorder requires long-term use of expensive medication to control clinical symptoms. This study analyzed the change in trends of total medical expenses and out-of-pocket expenses for patients with myasthenia gravis and explored the factors influencing them. METHODS: In this retrospective study, data were derived from a survey of medical service utilization for patients insured by the Urban Basic Medical Insurance in China from 2013 to 2015. The cost data of 3347 patients with myasthenia gravis were included in this study. The baseline characteristics and medical expenses for patients with myasthenia gravis were analyzed using a descriptive method. The difference and influencing factors of the out-of-pocket ratio were analyzed from both outpatient and inpatient expenses by using the quantile regression method. RESULTS: The total expenses reimbursed by the Urban Basic Medicine Insurance for all patients with myasthenia gravis fell progressively from 73.1 to 58.7% during the study period. Patients' out-of-pocket expenses increased gradually, of which expenses within the scope of Basic Medicine Insurance increased from 14.7 to 22.6% and expenses outside of the Basic Medicine Insurance scope increased from 12.6 to 18.7%. Moreover, the panel quantile results showed a positive correlation between the year of receiving treatment and the out-of-pocket ratio. In addition to the 25th quantile of the out-of-pocket ratio among outpatients with myasthenia gravis, there were significant differences in medical insurance and medical institution among all the other quantiles. Significant regional differences were found in all quantiles of the out-of-pocket ratio, except for the 75th quantile among inpatients. Lastly, age had a negative effect on inpatients with myasthenia gravis across all quantiles, but not on outpatients. CONCLUSIONS: From 2013 to 2015, patients with myasthenia gravis's out-of-pocket expenses increased progressively. Moreover, the individual out-of-pocket ratio was affected by the year, medical insurance, medical institution, region, and age. The current medical insurance policy for the general public has a low ability to cater for patients with myasthenia gravis.

Effect of the catastrophic medical insurance on household catastrophic health expenditure: evidence from China.

OBJECTIVE: China launched an innovative program of catastrophic medical insurance (CMI) to protect households from catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and impoverishment. This article assesses the effect of CMI on relieving CHE and impoverishment from catastrophic illnesses in urban and rural China. METHOD: In total, 8378 cases are included in the analysis. We employed descriptive statistical analysis to compare the incidence and intensity of CHE at five health expenditure levels, from 1 June 2014 to 31 May 2015. To illustrate the different protection of the policy, we analyzed the data in two lines, the covered medical expenses and the total medical expenses. RESULTS: CMI drop down CHE incidence from 4.8% to 0.1% and the mean catastrophic payment gap from 7.9% to zero when only considering covered medical expenses. CMI drop down CHE incidence from 15.5% to 7.9% and the mean catastrophic payment gap from 31.2% to 14.7% when considering total medical expenses. If CMI reimburse uncovered medical expenses at 30%, the mean catastrophic payment gap could be 7.9% and insured person's annual premium will increase US$2.19. CONCLUSIONS: China CMI perfectly meet the pursued policy objectives when only considering the covered medical expenses. However, when considering the total medical expenses, the CMI is only partially effective in protecting households from CHE. The considerable gap is the result of the limitation of CMI list.

Prevalence of burnout and associated factors among general practitioners in Hubei, China: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: High occupational burnout among general practitioners (GPs) is an important challenge to China's efforts to strengthen its primary healthcare delivery; however, data to help understand this issue are unavailable. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of burnout and associated factors among GPs. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used to collect data from December 12, 2014, to March 10, 2015, with a self-administered structured questionnaire from 1015 GPs (response rate, 85.6%) in Hubei Province, Central China. Burnout was measured using a 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). MBI-HSS scores and frequency were analyzed by the three dimensions of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA). Factors associated with burnout among GPs were estimated using a multiple linear regression model. RESULTS: Of the respondents, 2.46% had a high level of burnout in all three dimensions, 24.83% reported high levels of EE, 6.21% scored high on DP, and 33.99% were at high risk of PA. GPs who were unmarried, had lower levels of job satisfaction, and had been exposed to workplace violence experienced higher levels of burnout. Intriguingly, no statistically significant associations were found between burnout and the duration of GP practice, age, sex, income, practice setting, and professional level. CONCLUSION: This is the first study of occupational burnout in Chinese general practice. Burnout is prevalent among GPs in Hubei, China. Interventions aimed at increasing job satisfaction, improving doctor-patient relationships and providing safer workplace environments may be promising strategies to reduce burnout among GPs in Hubei, China.

Evaluation of patient experience in county-level public hospitals in China: a multicentred, cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Patient experience is being widely considered in the evaluation of healthcare service quality, which is a key target for public hospitals under China's New Healthcare Reform. This study aimed to illustrate patients' experiences in county-level public hospitals, and identify aspects that need to be improved. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Between 2016 and 2018, a cross-sectional study with 500 outpatients and 800 inpatients was conducted in 10 county-level public hospitals from Shandong Province, Hubei Province and Chongqing Municipality. METHOD: A three-part questionnaire was used to evaluate patients' experiences during their visits to hospitals. It comprised a questionnaire for basic information, the Picker Patient Experience (PPE-15) Questionnaire and the overall evaluation (a 3-point Likert scale to express patients' satisfaction and patient loyalty). Patients' experiences were classified according to six dimensions (information transmission and patient education, respect for patient preference, emotional support, physical comfort, involvement of family or friends and continuity of medical service). Both univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate patient experience. RESULTS: A total of 1241 valid questionnaires were analysed. The mean PPE-15 score was 41.33 (range, 23-56). The better the patient experience and satisfaction, the higher the patient loyalty (p<0.001). Except for hospital disparities, patients' age and occupation status had a significant impact on patient experience (p<0.05). Of the six dimensions, the physical comfort score was the highest, while the respect for patient preference score was the lowest. Additionally, a strong correlation was found between the respect for patient preference dimension and patients' overall satisfaction with their treatment experience. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital managers and staff members should pay close attention to the preferences of patients and their families to improve patient experience.

Risk of human exposure to animal bites in China: a clinic-based cross-sectional study.

Human exposure to animal bites is the most important public health concern in relation to rabies transmission. This study aims to determine the factors associated with human exposure to animal bites in China. A cross-sectional study of visitors to rabies prevention clinics who were seeking treatment because of exposure to animal bites or scratches was conducted in Wuhan, China. Humans exposed to animal bites (n = 1015) were interviewed, and 87% of the bites were attributed to domestic animals. The risk types for animal bites included unprovoked aggression (31.7%), excessive play (27.5%), insufficient preparedness (26.7%), and improper care of animals (14.1%). Children aged 1-15 years (OR = 9.069, 95% CI: 4.572-17.987, P < 0.001) were more likely to be injured because of excessive play. Nonvaccinated people (OR = 2.168, 95% CI: 1.034-4.545, P = 0.040) and people who discontinued the rabies vaccine regimen (OR = 2.600, 95% CI: 1.561-4.331, P < 0.001) were at risk of rabies exposure and were more likely to be injured because of improper care of animals. This study showed that domestic animals were responsible for most animal bites. The associated factors were age, educational attainment, and animal ownership. Community health education with a special attention to schoolchildren and animal owners should be provided.

Health service security of patients with 8 certain rare diseases: evidence from China's national system for health service utilization of patients with healthcare insurance.

BACKGROUND: Rare diseases are one of the major challenges in the era of precision medicine and reflect the social security level of minority groups. This study aimed to investigate healthcare service utilization and health security of patients with rare diseases in China. METHODS: From 29 provinces of Mainland China, 7,747 visits with eight common rare diseases who were linked to the national insurance database between 2014 and 2016 were selected as the study population, whose demographic and healthcare service information was collected from China's national monitoring system for health service utilization of patients with healthcare insurance. Univariate analysis was performed to describe the basic statement of healthcare service, such as visit type, institution type, length of stay, healthcare insurance utilization, and the results of disease burden for different groups and its factors were analyzed by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Medical treatment from general tertiary hospitals was sought by 61.4% of the patients with rare diseases. Of the total treatment cost (TTC) of 40.18 million Chinese Yuan, 63.3% was paid by basic health insurance, and 54.2% of the medical cost resulted from medicine expenditure. Demography, geography and social-economic factors, security level, and health institution situation had an effect on the TTC. The correlations between these factors and TTC were different for outpatients and inpatients. Reimbursement rate had the highest effect on inpatients' TTC. Basic insurance was effective for providing support for patients with rare diseases that involved high costs; however, the coverage was limited. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare insurance is an effective safeguard for patients with rare diseases; however, affordable and accessible treatment is still lacking for such patients. There remains a need to further improve the diagnostic and treatment technology for rare diseases and expertise among doctors, as well as the security level of healthcare policies.

Work-Related Accumulated Fatigue among Doctors in Tertiary Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Six Provinces of China.

OBJECTIVES: "Karoshi" (death due to overwork) of doctors occurred frequently and attracted increasing attention in recent years in China. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of work-related accumulated fatigue of doctors and its associated factors in tertiary hospitals of China. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted on 1729 full-time doctors employed by 24 tertiary hospitals across eastern developed, central developing, and western underdeveloped regions of China. Accumulated fatigue was categorized into four levels using the "Self-diagnosis Checklist for Assessment of Workers' Accumulated Fatigue" rated on a scale matrix considering both overwork and fatigue symptoms. Ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with work-related accumulated fatigue. RESULTS: About 78.8% of respondents reported a "high level" of work-related accumulated fatigue, including 42.0% at a "very high" level. Male doctors and those aged between 30 and 45 years and who had a professional title were found to have higher levels of accumulative fatigue than others. Low salary and poor working conditions (in the western region) were also significantly associated with high levels of work-related accumulated fatigue (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: High levels of work-related accumulated fatigue are prevalent in doctors working in tertiary hospitals in China. Male doctors establishing their early- and mid-careers are the high-risk group. Poor working conditions are associated with work-related accumulated fatigue.

Have the Pilot County Hospitals' Service Capability Been Improved Since the Healthcare Reform? An Analysis of 370 Hospitals in China.

BACKGROUND: County public hospital reform is one of the major tasks proposed in Chinese Healthcare Reform., and the evaluation of hospital reform effectiveness is very important and beneficial since it helps the government to understand the current situation of pilot county public hospitals and smoothly start the reform in all county hospitals. METHODS: This study used hospitals data from 2009 to 2012 to evaluate the effectiveness of county public hospital reform through comprehensive service capability. Descriptive analysis method was used, and factor analysis method was used to extract the main factors associated with service capabilities as well as to calculate a composite score. The t-test of two independent-samples methods was used to comparison analyze. RESULTS: The differences of common factor scores (hospital scale and service capacity, treatment quality, service quality, and services efficiency) between pilot and non-pilot hospitals were not statistically significant (P>0.05). The service capability score in 2012 was better than that in 2009 either in pilot or non-pilot group (P<0.05). The pilot hospitals' service capability score was better than that in non-pilot groups either in 2010 or 2012 (P<0.05). However, the differences from 2009 to 2012 of service capability score between pilot and non-pilot hospitals were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The comprehensive service capability of both pilot and non-pilot group all got improvement. However, county public hospital reform did not significantly play a due good role in improving the service capability in pilot group. The reform was helpful to improve the hospital current situation, but it has not completely achieved policy objectives in the sample hospitals of this study.

What is the most important factor affecting patient satisfaction - a study based on gamma coefficient.

Objective: To analyze the influencing factors of patients satisfaction and find out the key factors, so as to provide suggestions for improving health policy. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted in Wuhan China. A total of 2,719 questionnaires were collected and 2,626 valid answer sheets were obtained. Through statistical description, chi-square test. Gamma coefficient analysis and binary logistic regression, the key factors affecting patient satisfaction were obtained. Results: It was found that the "Medical staff's service attitude" was the most important factor affecting patient satisfaction, followed by "Medical staff services technology" and "Hospital convenience". The demographic characteristics of patients had no significant effect on satisfaction, and "Medical services utilization" of patients had a certain impact on satisfaction. Patients had a higher degree of satisfaction with the "Hospital convenience", "Hospital facilities and environment", "Medical staff services technology", "Medical staff service attitude", but had a lower degree of satisfaction with "Medical expense" and "Reimbursement ratio for medical expenses". Conclusion: "Medical staff's service attitude", "Medical staff services technology" and "Hospital convenience" was the most three important factors. The health managers should focus on the above three aspects and implement appropriate management decisions to improve patient satisfaction.

Educational attainment and mortality: results from the Sixth Population Census in China.

BACKGROUND: Health and education are two closely related factors that affect human development. A limited number of studies have been conducted in China, most of which have been based on small sample sizes and with inconsistent results. The study investigates the association between mortality rate and educational level in China based on the sixth national population census in 2010. METHODS: This is large-scale population study based on the nationally administrated data sets of population census in 2010, 2000 and 1990. The 2010 census covered a total population of 1 332 810,869 in China. RESULTS: In general, standardized mortality rate decreased as educational level increased. The standardized mortality rate is higher among males than among females with equivalent educational levels. The standardized mortality rate in all the educational groups declined to varying degrees from 1990. 2000 to 2010. The standardised mortality rate declined with increasing educational levels from no education to university undergraduate groups in 1990, 2000 and 2010. The standardized mortality rate declined as the degree of education increased in cities, towns, and villages, but gradually increased at the same educational level from cities, towns, to villages in general. The difference in each region is considerable and the population quality of the developed area is generally high. The percentage of the uneducated population to the total population aged 15 years and over (%) was positively correlated with the standardized mortality rate. By contrast, the percentage of the population with a high school education to the total population aged 6 years and over (%) was negatively correlated with the standardized mortality rate. CONCLUSIONS: We found that educational level was negatively correlated with the mortality rate. The crude and standardized death rate is lower among individuals with higher educational level. Together with previous research findings, this study indicates that improving total population education attainment remains an important challenge that requires imperative action, while reducing educational inequities remains crucial for the government.

Trends and Drivers of Inpatient Antibiotic Consumption among 89 China Tertiary General Hospitals from 2011Q1 to 2015Q4.

Antibacterial surveillance is an essential measure for strengthening the management of clinical antibiotic use. This study aimed to determine the trends and drivers of inpatient antibiotic consumption in China. A sample of 89 hospitals with complete data from 2011Q1 to 2015Q4 was included. Accumulative defined daily doses (DDDs), antibiotic use density (AUD), and drug variety were calculated to evaluate antibiotic consumption. From 2011Q1 to 2015Q4, the median values of DDDs, AUD, and drug variety dropped by 10.49%, 39.19%, and 27.96%, respectively. Panel regression results showed, for each additional quarter, DDDs reduced by 6.714 DDDs, AUD reduced by 0.013 DDDs per 100 inpatients per day, and drug variety reduced by 0.012 types (p < 0.001). National hospitals were more likely to use antibiotics, with the highest number of DDDs (106 709 DDDs) and AUD (60 DDDs per 100 inpatients per day) and a large number of drug variety (71 types of drug) all reported from national hospitals. Overall, a downward trend of inpatient antibiotic consumption was observed in competitive tertiary general hospitals in China. However, antibiotic use in China, especially in national hospitals, continues to exceed the guidelines set forth by the nationwide antibiotic stewardship program. China must continue to improve surveillance of antibiotic consumption by constructing a more comprehensive, continuous, and targeted stewardship program. Policy interventions in China should be made in consideration of unbalanced regional development and the consequences this may have on antibiotic consumption.

Analysis on Medical Expenses of Hypertensive Inpatients in Urban Areas from 2010 to 2013-Evidence from Two Provinces in South of China.

Along with the development of society and the rapid economic growth in the past decades, hypertension and other chronic diseases have become important reasons for people's poverty caused by illness in China. This study collected a total of 5857 people from 2010 to 2013 randomly from the database of the Medical Insurance Department (MID), including 3229 people in Hubei province and 2628 people in Guangdong province. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the total medical expense, out-of-pocket (OOP) expense and hospital stay between variables. A multiple linear regression analysis was done to identify possible risk factors of total medical expense. The results showed that the average total medical expense per capita was 5709.89 yuan, and the medical expense per capita was 7053.58 and 4555.97 yuan in Guangdong province and Hubei province, respectively. The medical expense of hypertensive inpatients decreased from 7222.32 yuan in 2012 to 4894.66 yuan in 2013. There were no significant differences in medical expenses between different genders of hypertensive patients (P>0.05). People of different ages, provinces, medical insurances and medical institution levels showed significant differences in medical expenses. The government should increase the investment in chronic disease management and treatment in the central and western regions to narrow the gap with the eastern region. Medical insurance fund payment should be improved to ensure the fairness of the use of medical services in different medical insurances. And measures should be taken to encourage chronic patients to visit primary medical institutions to effectively reduce medical expenses.