Human resource staffing and service functions of community health services organizations in China.
OBJECTIVE
We report a study on the developmental status of human resource staffing and service functions of community health services (CHS) in China and offer recommendations for improving the CHS in the future.


METHODS
A study questionnaire was completed by 712 CHS organizations distributed in 52 cities and districts in all areas of China using a multilevel stratified randomized sampling method. Data were collected on the backgrounds, human resources, and service functions of CHS organizations.


RESULTS
We found that 68.2% of doctors and 86.5% of nurses employed in CHS centers have low-level medical training. The doctor-nurse ratio in CHS centers is 1.2 to 1 and in CHS stations is 1.3 to 1. More than 50% of CHS organizations have developed on-the-job training programs, causing cost trends for staff training to increase. Although the delivery of basic clinical services and public health services is steadily increasing, 58.6% of stations are open less than 12 hours per day. Health records are established in a high proportion of CHS organizations. Two kinds of health education--general public health education, and personal education for specific problems--have been adopted by more than 92% of CHS centers and 90% of CHS stations.


CONCLUSIONS
Desired functions for CHS organizations have been partially achieved. Training for doctors and nurses engaged in CHS should be promoted and improved as quickly as possible. Training in basic clinical services and management of noncommunicable chronic diseases should be strongly promoted. Changes in government policies should be pursued to promote effective support for the development of CHS.
Yang
Jun
J
School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Guo
Aimin
A
Wang
Yadong
Y
Zhao
Yali
Y
Yang
Xinhua
X
Li
Hang
H
Duckitt
Roger
R
Liang
Wannian
W
D001294:Attitude to Health; D002681:China; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000639:trends; D004506:Education, Nursing; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education* / Q000639:trends; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D008511:Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D013038:Specialization; D000078329:Workforce
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