Territorial Inequalities in the Number of Cases Related to Benign Gynecological Disorders in Hungary

OBJECTIVES: The waiting list obligation covers the treatment of benign gynecological disorders in Hungary thus the utilization of gynecological surgeries has a prime importance in the Hungarian healthcare sector. The research aimed to assess the territorial inequalities of the utilization of cases between 2010-2022 at a domestic level.

METHODS: A retrospective, quantitative research was conducted, based on the data of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration. The database included all relevant information for publicly financed gynecological surgeries for benign indications: number of cases, location and type of the hospitals, and the age of the patients. During the research number of cases and prevalence were measured in accordance with the counties. The study period covers the years 2010-2022.

RESULTS: Our results showed a significant decrease (-29.2%) in the number of cases of benign gynecological surgeries from 2010 (annual number of cases=18,229) to 2022 (annual number of cases=12,905). On the other hand, the average age of patients increased in the analyzed period, from 45.1 to 49.93 years for all interventions considered. Number of cases per 10,000 inhabitants was the lowest in Pest (5.4), Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok (7.2) and Nógrád (9.8) counties, while the highest were Budapest (28.01), Csongrád-Csanád (25.43) and Vas counties (22.3). Csongrád-Csanád and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg counties were differ to the domestic tendency because the prevalence increased (Csongrád-Csanád 0.35 to 0.41) and (Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg 0.27 to 0.32) respectively between 2010 and 2022. For all other counties, there was a decrease in prevalence, with Komárom-Esztergom (-0.26) and Nógrád County (-0.2) in the lead.

CONCLUSIONS: There were significant differences in surgery utilization between the counties and regions, which were based on economic, and demographic differences and disparities in healthcare access. The remarkable ratio of patients near Budapest was moved to the capital for treatment.