Supply-Demand Matching of Medical Facilities in Relation to Residents' Diverse Attributes: A Case Study of Shanghai's Five New Towns

This study used questionnaire data on residents' diverse attributes in Shanghai's five new towns to explore medical facility demand. Unlike previous research that treated populations as a whole, this study breaks down attributes into gender, age, income, and education to assess their impact on medical facility demand. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in SPSS identified key demand factors, and Point of Interest (POI) data evaluated supply and supply-demand matching. The results show that diverse attributes influence medical facility demand. Gender significantly affects demand for community health services but negatively impacts clinics. Age correlates positively with demand across all facility types, with less impact on clinics. Higher education and income both reduce demand for medical facilities. Significant shortages and inefficiencies in supply-demand matching were identified in most subdistricts. The study proposes strategies to better align supply with demand, improve facility distribution, and enhance information systems to guide future planning.