title: Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases related health resources allocation in hunan province of china.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Information about Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD)-related health resources allocation in China is very limited. The aim of the study was to explore the distribution of COPD-related health resources allocation among different levels public hospitals (PHs) in Hunan Province of central south China.
  
  
  METHODS
  We randomly collected data from 57 Public Hospitals (PHs) at 3 different levels in Hunan province as well as 893 pulmonary physicians (PPs) who worked there in 2009. Questionnaires based on the recommendations of COPD guideline were designed, including availability of spirometers, inhaled agents for COPD and COPD-related health education for local residents, as well as PPs' educational levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Spirometers equipped ratio in 3(rd) level PHs was much higher than 1(st), 2(nd) PHs. The disparity varied vastly form 0% to 100%. The inhaled agents equipped ratio was 5.56%, 70.85% and 100% respectively for the 1(st), 2(nd) and 3(rd) levels PHs. No 1(st) level PHs launched COPD-related healthcare education for local residents, only 10 of 24 for the 2(nd) level PHs and 10 of 15 for the 3(rd) level PHs. PPs of high educational levels concentrate in 3(rd) levels PHs, however, PPs working in 1(st) levels PHs and 2(nd) levels PHs were mainly low and median educational levels PPs' knowledge of COPD of 3(rd) levels PHs was much better than of 1(st) levels PHs and 2(nd) levels PHs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The extreme imbalance and disparity existed in COPD-related health resources allocation at three levels PHs in central south China. Inequity and insufficient in COPD-related health resources in 1(st) and 2(nd) levels PHs should be improved.
authors: Dept. of Respiratory Medicine, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
authors: Chengli
authors: C
authors: Bei
authors: Anmei
authors: A
authors: Hu
authors: Huayun
authors: H
authors: Liu
authors: Ping
authors: P
authors: Chen
authors: Xiujie
authors: X
authors: Jia
authors: Guisheng
authors: G
authors: Zhou
authors: Shan
authors: S
authors: Cai
keywords: Allocation; COPD; China; Public Hospitals; Pulmonary physicians; Resourcec
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