Introduction: Equity in the health sector means “the availability of health services and people’s fair access to them, using health services based on need, paying for health services based on financial ability and having an acceptable level of health”. Equitable distribution of hospital beds increases access to health services and improves people’s health. This research aimed to measure the equity in distribution of hospital beds in Fars province, Iran.
Methods: This descriptive-cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016. The data related to the population of the cities, the number of hospitals and hospital beds in Fars province were obtained from the Ministry of Health and the Statistics Center of Iran. The equity in the distribution of hospital beds in Fars province was calculated using Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient.
Results: Fars Province population was 4,851,274 and there were 69 hospitals with 7,532 beds in 2016. There was 1.4 hospital per 100,000 people and 1.6 hospital beds per 1000 people in the Fars Province. Shiraz, Garash and Pasargad cities have had the highest hospital beds per 1000 people. Shiraz city, the capital had 49% of the total Fars Province hospitals and 63% of the Fars Province hospital beds. The Gini coefficient for hospital bed distribution among Fars cities was 0.30.
Conclusion: The distribution of hospital beds in Fars province has been fair. Healthcare policymakers should take measures to improve the equity in the access of the community to hospital beds.