Analysis On The Current Situation And Influencing Factors Of Health Service Demand In Tibet Autonomous Region

Background:In 2010,the fifth Tibet workshop conference raised the request that the Tibet Autonomous Region will enter into the well-to-do society with China by 2020, that means the capacity of Tibet basic public services will get closer to the national average, and will go to meet the request of fairness in access to medical and health. Now the Tibet Autonomous Region residents’health has greatly improved in compared with itself, however, it still has huge gaps with the national or western China’s average in influencing factors. Studying the status and influencing factors of health service demand in Tibet Autonomous Region can provide references for Tibet health service priorities.Aim and content:This paper comprehensively describes the status of the Tibet residents’ demand and utilization of health service under the economic and social situation, and analyses the existing problem and factors that affect Tibet residents’demand. In this way provides a decision-making basis for a further developed regional health planning, a more reasonable health resources allocation, and a way to perfect related policy. The aim is helping the Tibet residents increase the health resources usage, and ultimately improve their health.Method:The paper uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis methods. Quantitative analysis helps to describe the status of Tibet residents’ demand and utilization of health service by using the data in statistical yearbooks, National Health Service surveys and the local statistical information systems. By comparing the difference of residents’health demand and utilization status between Tibet Autonomous Region and the national average, we try to find the character of the status. Qualitative analysis is a field interview talked with people working in the health and family planning frontline, which helps to make a supplementary status describing and find the influence factors of the Tibet residents’health demand and utilization.Results:(1) From the economic and social status of Tibet Autonomous Region, Tibet had a rapid development of economic, the urban-rural gap of income went narrow gradually, the coverage of healthcare was high, social health insurance is an important security for Tibet local people to achieve a healthcare service. However, Tibet has a poor economic situation compared with the national average, and the urban-rural gap of consumption was huge; the urbanization rate of Tibet residents was low, and Tibet has the lowest population density in the nation; the birth rate of Tibet resident was high, and the rate of education was low; Tibet had a shortage of resources about healthcare supplying, and had an inconvenient transportation, that constrained the local resident to improve their health status.(2) From the needs of Tibet Autonomous Region health service, Tibet residents’ overall health status had improved gradually, but still did not caught the national average. Local residents get diseases mainly within two weeks, they also feels worse if compare with the national average. In Tibet the form of communicable diseases are few and simple, and that was the main threat of local residents’ health. The main disease that tortured Tibet residents was circulatory system diseases and digestive system diseases. Endemic diseases were still very serious.(3) From the health service demand and utilization status of Tibet Autonomous Region, Tibet residents had a higher two-week consultation frequency but a lower annual-hospitalization rate compared with the national average. They tended to went to a higher level institution for initial diagnosis. People have difficulty in moving like old and young had a relatively lower level of two-week consultation rate and annual-hospitalization rate compared with the rate of other local age group and the rate of national average. Local residents had a much higher hospitalization rate in Traditional Tibetan Hospital above the county level compared with the national average, but that rate was low in county level and below. The ratio of pregnant women that go deliver or caesarean section went far below the national average. Tibet had a high rate in children’s vaccination coverage, but the timely vaccination rate was low.(4) Tibet Autonomous Region has disadvantages for residents in achieving timely and effective health service in some ways, like natural environment, traffic status, religion custom, living habit, population, education status, and the supply side of the health service.Conclusion:(1) Residents of Tibet Autonomous Region had a low level in quantity and quality demand of health service. That needs system planning to improve it.(2) Factors that influence the demand for health services in Tibet, includes economic and non-economic factors. The economic factors mainly are income and health insurance, non-economic factors are mainly like the local climate geography and human environment, traffic factors, demographic factors, and medical supplies. Interaction of various factors has an impact on the amount and structure of the demand for health services in Tibet.(3) Residents of Tiber Autonomous Region had a large demand in health service, Ways to meet the health service needs of Tibet residents include development of Tibet’s economy, strengthening health education, and so on.