Permintaan Terhadap Perkhidmatan Kesihatan Awam : kesihatan Awam : 1990 - 1997

The objective of this project paper is to study the demand for public health services between 1990 to 1997 for the 14 states in Malaysia. Based on previous studies, several variables have been used as proxies for the demand of health services. The study also touches on the supply of public health services as well as the development in the demand for private health services. Cross-sectional and time-series data or pool data between 1990 to 1997 for the 14 states in Malaysia have been used. On the demand-side, results of the study show that number of admissions and beds utilization can be used as measurements for the demand of public health services. Whereas on the supply-side, the study shows that bed availability (bed complements) is more responsive to the demand for health services than the number of doctors. Furthermore, it
is found that relatively, states with high number of beds available per 1000 population tend to have higher number of beds used, but the percentage of utilization is lower. Beside that, states which are lacking in public healthcare facilities are also identified. Lastly, the study shows that there is an increasing trend in the private sector growth. Being profit-driven, the private sector tends to concentrate in urban areas, and their services are found unequally distributed among states. However, private sector plays an important role in relieving some of the pressures on the growing demand for health services.