Table 1 Variable explanation

Service Scope

Scope of primary care services provided by primary care facilities in 2017

PCDGS (%)

Proportion of cumulative direct government subsidies to financial revenue of each facility from 2009 to 2016

PercapitaCFR

Per capita cumulative financial revenue of each facility from 2009 to 2016 (Chinese Yuan)

PercapitaCDGS

Per capita cumulative direct government subsidies to each facility from 2009 to 2016 (Chinese Yuan)

PercapitaGDP

Per capita gross domestic product at the county-level in 2017 (Chinese Yuan)

Pubhospitalave

Average number of public hospitals per 100,000 population in 2017

Privchospitalave

Average number of private hospitals in 100,000 population in 2017

Res

Number of facility-level residents in 2017, representing the potential need

Type

Type of primary care facilities: 1 = township health centre (THC), 2 = community health centre (CHC)

IDS

Whether primary care facility is integrated with high-level hospitals in 2017: 1 = Yes, 2 = No

MedStaff

Average density of registered physician and nurse in each thousand in 2017

MedStaffHighlevel

Average density of registered physician and nurse with high technical titles in each thousand in 2017

PBS

Proportion of performance-based bonus to the salary package in 2017. It often ranged from 30 to 40%