sources: 15292

{
    "link": "http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.home",
    "retrievedDate": "23-March-18",
    "additionalInfo": "Indicator name\nDensity of physicians (per 1 000 population)\n\nName abbreviated\nDensity of physicians\n\nData Type Representation\nRatio\n\nTopic\nHealth systems resources\n\nISO Health Indicators Framework\n\n    \n\nRationale\n\u00a0The WHO Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030 sets out the policy agenda to ensure a workforce that is fit for purpose to attain the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One of its objectives is primarily linked to strengthening data on human resources for health\n\nDefinition\nNumber of medical doctors (physicians), including generalist and specialist medical practitioners, per 1 000 population.\n\nAssociated terms\nClassification of health workers : The WHO framework for classifying health workers draws on the latest revisions of international classifications for social and economic statistics, including the International Standard Classification of Occupations (2008 revision), the International Standard Classification of Education (1997 revision) and the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (fourth revision).\n\nPreferred data sources\nAdministrative reporting system\n\nPreferred data sources\nHousehold surveys\n\nPreferred data sources\nPopulation census\n\nOther possible data sources\nHealth facility assessments\n\nMethod of measurement\nThe method of estimation for density of physicians depends on the nature of the original data source. Estimating the number of physicians using population census data is a count of the number of people reporting 'physician' as their current occupation (as classified according to the tasks and duties of their job). A similar method is used for counting physicians from labour force survey data, with the additional application of a sampling weight to calibrate for national representation. Data from health facility assessments and administrative reporting systems may be based on head counts of employees, duty rosters, staffing records, payroll records, registries of health professional regulatory bodies, or tallies from other types of routine administrative records on human resources. Ideally, information on the stock of health workers should be assessed through administrative records compiled, updated and reported at least annually, and periodically validated and adjusted against data from a population census or other nationally representative source.\n\nMethod of estimation\n\u00a0WHO compiles data on health workforce from routine administrative information systems (including reports on public expenditure, staffing and payroll as well as professional training, registration and licensure), population censuses, labour force and employment surveys and health facility assessments. Most of the data from administrative sources are derived from published national health sector reviews and/or official country reports to WHO offices In general, the denominator data for workforce density (i.e. national population estimates) are obtained from the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects database.\n\u00a0\n\nM&E Framework\nOutput\n\nMethod of estimation of global and regional aggregates\nRegional and global aggregates are based on population-weighted averages weighted by the total number of population. They are presented only if available data cover at least 50% of total population in the regional or global groupings.\n\nDisaggregation\nAge\n\nDisaggregation\nSex\n\nDisaggregation\nLocation (urban/rural)\n\nDisaggregation\nOccupational specialization\n\nDisaggregation\nMain work activity\n\nDisaggregation\nProvider type (public/private)\n\nUnit of Measure\nPersons per 1000 population\n\nUnit Multiplier\n\n    \n\nExpected frequency of data dissemination\nAnnual\n\nExpected frequency of data collection\n\n    \n\nLimitations\nThe classification of health workers used here is based on criteria for vocational education and training, regulation of health professions, and the activities and tasks involved in carrying out a job, i.e. a framework for categorizing key workforce variables according to shared characteristics. The WHO framework draws on the latest revisions to the internationally standardized classification systems of the International Labour Organization (International Standard Classification of Occupations), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (International Standard Classification of Education) and the United Nations Statistics Division (International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities). While much effort has been made to harmonize the data to enhance cross-national comparability, the diversity of sources means that considerable variability remains across countries in the coverage, quality and reference year of the original data. In particular, for some countries the available information from official sources does not make it clear whether both the public and private sectors are included. Data derived from population censuses, and on physicians and nursing and midwifery personnel, are generally the most complete and comparable information on human resources in health systems; data on health management and support workers tend to be the least complete. Some figures may be underestimated or overestimated when it is not possible to distinguish whether the data include health workers in the private sector, double counts of health workers holding two or more jobs at different locations, health service providers working outside the health care sector (e.g. nurses working in a school or large private company), workers who are unpaid or unregulated but performing health care tasks (e.g. volunteer community health workers) or people with health vocational training who are not currently engaged in the national health labour market (e.g. unemployed, migrated, retired or withdrawn from the labour force for personal reasons)\n\nLinks\nWHO Global  Health Workforce Statistics database\n\nLinks\nThe world health report 2006 - working together for health (WHO, 2006)\n\nComments\n\n    \n\nContact Person\n\n    \n\n",
    "dataPublishedBy": "World Health Organization Global Health Observatory (GHO)",
    "dataPublisherSource": null
}