BACKGROUND
The level of medical care and medical burden varies greatly among sub-regions in China. A comprehensive monitoring system is urgently needed to detect the Gastrointestinal Diseases (GD) to improve the rationality of resource allocation.
OBJECTIVE
The main objective of this study was to construct the China Gastrointestinal Health Index (GHI) and evaluate the status of prevention and treatment of GD in different provinces.
METHODS
This study collected multi-source data, including national surveillance, surveys, registration systems, and scientific research, and used literature review, Delphi method and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model to construct GHI system. GHI scores were calculated for each province in China, with scores ranging from 0 to 100.
RESULTS
The GHI system in China includes the Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Non-Neoplastic Diseases (GNND) and Gastrointestinal Neoplasms (GN), the Exposure to Risk Factors, the Prevention and Control of Risk Factors, and the Clinical Treatment of GD. The weight of the four dimensions from high to low was the Prevalence of GNND and GN (0.3246), Clinical Treatment of GD (0.2884), Prevention and Control of Risk Factors (0.2606), Exposure to Risk Factors (0.1264). The overall GHI for China in 2019 was 49.89, varying from 39.19 to 76.13 across all the sub-regions. The total GHI score in the eastern region is generally higher than that in the western region.
CONCLUSIONS
GHI is an effective monitoring system in China. In the future, big data should be used to strengthen and improve the GHI system to ensure its practical effect in the improvement of healthy life expectancy, the prevention of GD, and medical policies in China.