title: Developing challenges in the urbanisation of village doctors in economically developed regions: A survey of 844 village doctors in Changzhou, China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To reveal the challenges of village doctors' survival and training in economically developed areas in eastern China.
  
  
  METHODS
  A field survey was used to assess the challenges of village doctors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, which is an economically developed region in eastern China.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants included 844 village doctors, 15 township hospital staff members and 6 health bureau leaders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main challenges in Changzhou include an insufficient amount of village doctors, difficulties in obtaining professional qualification for village doctors, low salaries and benefits, and difficulties in recruitment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With increasing urbanisation in China, the gap between actual and expected income and social security has been increasing. Changes to training have influenced the stability of village doctor teams. Declining attachment of young people to their hometown village has contributed to recruitment difficulties.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Health Development Strategies, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Minxing
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Health Development Strategies, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Changzhou Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Changzhou, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Health Development Strategies, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Mo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Changzhou Health Bureau, Changzhou, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Health Development Strategies, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D006280:Health Workforce; D006801:Humans; D010560:Personnel Selection; D010820:Physicians / Q000600:supply & distribution; D019035:Rural Health Services; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014507:Urbanization
keywords: China; human resources for health; urbanisation; village doctor
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