title: Public hospitals in China: privatisation, the demise of universal health care and the rise of patient-doctor violence.
abstract: Ensuring the safety of staff and patients has become a major problem for hospitals in China. This article examines whether one of the reasons for this violence may be the emerging injustice and inequality that have manifested in the Chinese health care system as a result of privatisation reforms since the early 1980s. It considers approaches to these issues that may assist the Chinese Government, and other nations contemplating similar policy changes, to create efficient but equity-based health care systems that minimise collateral trauma to patients and their families.
authors.affiliation: Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Pingan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Faunce
authors.forename: Kellie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johnston
mesh_terms: D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D006291:Health Policy / Q000639:trends*; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011332:Privatization / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012449:Safety / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012935:Social Justice / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019472:Universal Health Insurance / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000639:trends; D014754:Violence / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*