Health Policy Manag.  2021 Dec;31(4):491-507. 10.4332/KJHPA.2021.31.4.491.

A Study on Regional Differences in Healthcare in Korea: Using Position Value for Relative Comparison Index

• Youn HM
• Yun C
• Kang SH
• Kwon J
• Lee HJ
• Park EC
• Jang SI

• KMID: 2525772
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4332/KJHPA.2021.31.4.491

Abstract

Background
This study aims to measure regional healthcare differences in Korea, and define relatively underserved areas.
Methods
We employed position value for relative comparison index (PARC) to measure the healthcare status of 250 areas using 137 indicators in five following domains: healthcare demand, supply, accessibility, service utilization, and outcome. We performed a sensitivity analysis using t-SNE (t-distributed stochastic neighboring embedding).
Results
Based on PARC values, 83 areas were defined as relatively underserved areas, 49 of which were categorized as moderate and 34 as severe. The provincial regions with the most underserved areas were Gyeongbuk (16 areas), Gangwon (13), Jeonnam (13), and Gyeongnam (12).
Conclusion
This study suggests a relative comparison approach to define relatively underserved areas in healthcare. Further studies incorporating various perspectives and methods are required for policy implications.

Keyword

Relatively underserved areas; Healthcare differences; Regional differences; Regional disparities; Position value for relative comparison index; t-distributed stochastic neighboring embedding