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. 2008 Oct 25;372(9648):1493-501.
doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61364-1. Epub 2008 Oct 17.

Tackling the challenges to health equity in China

Shenglan Tang  1 , Qingyue Meng, Lincoln Chen, Henk Bekedam, Tim Evans, Margaret Whitehead
Affiliations

Tackling the challenges to health equity in China

Shenglan Tang et al. Lancet. .

Abstract

In terms of economic development, China is widely acclaimed as a miracle economy. Over a period of rapid economic growth, however, China's reputation for health has been slipping. In the 1970s China was a shining example of health development, but no longer. Government and public concerns about health equity have grown. China's health-equity challenges are truly daunting because of a vicious cycle of three synergistic factors: the social determinants of health have become more inequitable; imbalances in the roles of the market and government have developed; and concerns among the public have grown about fairness in health. With economic boom and growing government revenues, China is unlike other countries challenged by health inequities and can afford the necessary reforms so that economic development goes hand-in-hand with improved health equity. Reforms to improve health equity will receive immense popular support, governmental commitment, and interest from the public-health community worldwide.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Life expectancy at birth by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of 30 Chinese provinces in 2000
Figure 2
Figure 2
Disparities in child malnutrition between urban and rural area of China 2002 Data are prevalence with 95% CI.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Trends in national life expectancy by gross domestic product (GDP) per head for selected countries in 1970–74 (top) and 1995–99 (bottom)
Figure 4
Figure 4
Trends in mortality in children age less than 5 years by socioeconomic conditions of areas of residence, 1996–2004 Rural 1=most affluent rural. Rural 2=better-off rural. Rural 3=poor rural. Rural 4=poorest rural. Rating based on a deprivation index combining socioeconomic indicators of the areas.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Use of health services outside hospital in last 2 weeks in China by lowest and highest income quintiles in urban and rural area Error bars indicate 95% CI.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Percentage of population with access to clean water and sanitation in different areas in 2003
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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