Equality in the Distribution of Maternal and Child Care Providers in the Public Sector of Lorestan Province, Iran

Equitable distribution of health services is the main goal of all countries, but this objective is more closely monitored and planned at the national level.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the distribution of care providers of mother and child as vulnerable groups at the provincial level in one of the provinces of Iran in 2011 - 2017.

The Gini coefficient, dissimilarity index, and Gaswirth index were used to assess the distribution of maternal and child care specialists. The time trend of inequality was estimated using regression analysis. The calculations were performed using STATA-14 software.

The mean Gini coefficients of pediatricians, gynecologists, and midwives in the study period were 0.25, 0.32, and 0.36, respectively. The mean dissimilarity indices for the mentioned specialists in the study period were 15, 14.7, and 10.9, respectively. The mean Gaswirth indices were 0.99, 0.78, and 0.49, respectively. The results of the regression analysis showed that the effect of time on inequalities was not significant.

The results of the study showed that there was some inequality in the distribution of human resources related to maternal and child health. Therefore, health policymakers are proposed to design and implement a sustainable policy for the fair distribution of these workforces at the provincial level. Equality of indicators at the national level does not necessarily imply equitable distribution at the county level. Therefore, it is proposed to measure and monitor the indicators at provincial/state levels, as well.