The Changing Trend of Primary Medical Care in China From The Perspective of Urban and Rural Areas

Abstract

As one of the most populous countries in the world, China has consistently grappled with the challenge of uneven distribution and inequitable provision of medical resources between urban and rural areas. Urban regions boast a greater number of medical facilities and healthcare professionals compared to their rural counterparts, exacerbating the issue of insufficient medical resources and inadequate services in rural areas. This disparity not only impacts the health status of rural residents but also perpetuates social inequality between urban and rural communities.   With China's ongoing process of urbanization, these disparities in healthcare have become increasingly pronounced. The objective of this study is to examine the evolving trends in China's primary healthcare system from an urban-rural perspective, aiming to gain a better understanding of how medical resources are distributed, access to healthcare services is facilitated, and disparities in medical consumption persist between urban and rural areas. The findings from this study yield several crucial recommendations: Firstly, it is imperative to prioritize enhancing the establishment of primary healthcare facilities in rural areas by significantly increasing both the quantity and quality standards for medical institutions while improving bed availability to meet the pressing needs for adequate healthcare among rural residents. Secondly, measures should be implemented to bridge the gap in distribution between health workers serving urban versus rural populations by incentivizing more professionals to engage in medical work within undeserved regions to ensure timely access for all individuals residing outside major cities. Additionally, both government entities and society at large should encourage increased investment by rural residents into their expenditure on healthcare while simultaneously improving overall levels of medical security coverage as a means of alleviating financial distress. Finally, it is imperative to adapt and optimize the rural industrial structure following the specific circumstances of different regions, thereby enhancing the income of rural residents and augmenting their capacity to allocate resources towards medical and healthcare expenditures.