Evaluation of Equality in the Distribution of Human Resources in the Health Sector of North Khorasan Province

Abstract

Introduction: The reduction of inequality in the utilization of resources and facilities of society is considered one of the most important criteria of development. The present study aimed to investigate equality in the distribution of human resources in the health sector in North Khorasan province (by the Gini coefficient and Lorenz curve) in 2020. Method: This study was conducted based on a descriptive-analytical design. The study population included human resources in the health sector. Data were collected from the national portal of the Statistical Center of Iran and the population yearbook of the province using a researcher-made form. Data were analyzed in STATA (version 12) and DASP (version 2.2) software packages. Results: For every 10,000 people, 55.3 human resources were working in the health sector of North Khorasan province. Human health resources are distributed equally in this province. The Gini coefficient for all human health resources, except nurses and specialists, was less than 0.2, indicating complete equality in the distribution of resources. The lowest coefficient value was related to general practitioners (0.052), and the highest Gini coefficient pertained to specialized physicians (0.422), pointing to a relative inequality in the distribution of specialized physicians. Conclusion: The removal of inequalities in human resources in the health sector in different regions can result in the promotion of equality in health outcomes. Therefore, it is suggested that policymakers and senior health system managers take effective measures to improve justice in access to human resources