Abstract: Objective To analyze the allocation and equity of human resources for health (HRH) in Shenzhen from 2014 to 2022. Methods Data pertaining to health technical personnel, licensed (assistant) physicians, registered nurses, geographical area, and resident population in Shenzhen for the period 2014-2022 were collected. Spatial analysis was employed to explore the geographical distribution of HRH, while agglomeration degree analysis was utilized to measure regional disparities in HRH allocation. Results A progressive increase in the stock of HRH in Shenzhen was observed from 2014 to 2022. Global spatial autocorrelation analysis indicated that the overall spatial disparity in the allocation of HRH per thousand population was not statistically significant in either 2014 or 2022 (both P>0.05). However, local spatial autocorrelation analysis identified low-low (L-L) clustering of health technical personnel, licensed (assistant) physicians, and registered nurses in Guangming District for both years. A similar L-L clustering pattern was observed for registered nurses in Bao'an District in 2022. No other significant changes in the spatial agglomeration patterns of HRH per thousand population were detected across other districts. In 2014 and 2022, the ratio of Health Resources Agglomeration Degree to Population Agglomeration Degree (HRAD/PAD) surpassed 1 for all categories of health professionals in Futian and Luohu Districts, signifying a relative abundance of HRH in relation to their population size. Conversely, the HRAD/PAD ratio was less than 1 in Bao'an, Longgang, Longhua, and Guangming Districts, indicating an insufficient allocation of HRH relative to their populations. Conclusions The total volume of HRH in Shenzhen is inadequate and characterized by geographical disparities. It is recommended that governmental initiatives not only augment investment in health and medical resources but also strategically prioritize the equity and accessibility of resource allocation to enhance the provision of medical services and health security.

Key words: Human resources for health, Equity, Allocation, Agglomeration degree, Spatial autocorrelation