title: Assessment the trend of inequality in the distribution of intensive care beds in Iran: using GINI index.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  While most of the published researches have reported the amount of inequity in geographical distribution of important health resources, only a small number of studies have focused on the trend of inequality in the distribution of these resources. The purpose of this study was to determine the trend of inequality in the distribution of intensive care beds in Iran during 2010 to 2012 by using the Gini coefficient.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional research conducted in 2013. The changes over three years (2010 to 2012) were calculated by Gini coefficient to investigate the trend of inequality in geographical distribution of intensive care beds (CCU, ICU and NICU).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Gini coefficient for CCU beds was calculated as 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06 in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. The Gini coefficient for ICU beds was calculated as 0.03, 0.05 and 0.05 in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. Also, the Gini coefficient for NICU bed was calculated as 0.02, 0.03 and 0.04 in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regarding to Gini coefficient, the trend of inequality was increased in the distribution of intensive care beds in Iran. Particularly, the inequalities in distribution of CCU beds were significantly increased during past years. In fact, if this trend of inequality continues, the distribution of intensive care beds will be extremely unequal in the next five years in Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meskarpour-Amiri
authors.forename: Parisa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mehdizadeh
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barouni
authors.affiliation: . n.dopeykar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nooredin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dopeykar
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramezanian
mesh_terms: D001509:Bed Occupancy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005843:Geography; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006742:Hospital Bed Capacity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007492:Iran