Perceived balance in healthcare resources strongly linked to satisfaction among rural residents in southern Anhui

Perceived balance in healthcare resource allocation showed the strongest association with healthcare service satisfaction among rural residents in the mountainous areas of Southern Anhui Province, China, in a cross-sectional questionnaire study. The analysis included 486 valid responses and found generally positive satisfaction, with a mean score of 3.79 and a standard deviation of 0.95.

Researchers collected questionnaire data from rural residents and used an ordered probit model to examine factors associated with satisfaction, including healthcare security, healthcare resources and individual characteristics. Perceived balance in resource allocation had the strongest reported association with satisfaction, with a coefficient of 2.869 (p < 0.01). Within healthcare security-related factors, perceived fairness was also positively associated with satisfaction, with a coefficient of 0.198 (p < 0.01).

Self-rated health was positively associated with satisfaction in the initial model, with a coefficient of 0.322 (p < 0.01), but the association weakened after structural factors were incorporated. These results identify associations involving healthcare security, resource allocation and individual characteristics; they do not establish that any factor caused higher satisfaction.

The study examined perceptions in the mountainous areas of Southern Anhui Province, and its geographic scope limits how directly the findings may apply to rural residents elsewhere. The cross-sectional design also limits conclusions about causality and temporal sequence. The investigators concluded that equitable resource allocation and accessible healthcare services warrant attention in rural healthcare planning, but the study did not test the effects of a specific intervention. The article is published in BMC Health Services Research and was published online on 28 September 2026.

Subject of Research: Healthcare service satisfaction among rural residents in Southern Anhui Province, China

Article Title: Factors associated with healthcare service satisfaction among rural residents: a cross-sectional study in the mountainous areas of Southern Anhui Province, China

Article References: Song, K., Mei, X., Hu, J., Yang, C., Huang, M., Cao, Y., Tao, B., & Zhang, X. (2026). Factors associated with healthcare service satisfaction among rural residents: a cross-sectional study in the mountainous areas of Southern Anhui Province, China. BMC Health Services Research. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-026-15701-w

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12913-026-15701-w

Keywords: rural healthcare, healthcare satisfaction, resource allocation, healthcare security, ordered probit model, cross-sectional study, Southern Anhui, China, Factors, associated, healthcare, service