Number of health workers per 1000 population and by metropolitan status

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Headline data

US health care workers per 1000 population
Year Value
2010 3.603699044
2011 3.675432312
2012 3.774182894
2013 3.878946963
2014 3.974037821
2015 4.084931928
2016 4.214091791

Source: NCHWA/HRSA/AHRF

Geographical Area:

Unit of Measurement:

Footnote:

This table provides metadata for the actual indicator available from United States statistics closest to the corresponding global SDG indicator. Please note that even when the global SDG indicator is fully available from American statistics, this table should be consulted for information on national methodology and other American-specific metadata information.

Indicator

Number of health workers per 1000 population and by metropolitan status
Organisation

NCHWA/HRSA/AHRF
Unit of measure

Number of health care workers (per 1000 population)
Data sources

NCHWA/HRSA/AHRF - http://ahrf.hrsa.gov/
Data providers

Joanna Yoon
Comment and limitations

Metro/non-metro indicator and population data are obtained from AHRF.
Method of computation

Data are derived from several data sources. Physician information is from the American Medical Association Physician Master file. Physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse, nurse practitioner,clinical nurse specialist,certified registered nurse anesthetists, and advance practice nurse midwife data are from the Centers from Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) National Provider Identification (NPI) File. The Administrative Simplification provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) mandated the adoption of standard unique identifiers for health care providers and health plans. The NPI is a unique identifier developed by CMS. Covered health care providers and all health plans and health care clearinghouses must use the NPIs in the administrative and financial transactions adopted under HIPAA. 2010 Population information is from 2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File, U.S. Census Bureau and 2011-2014 Population Estimates are from the Bureau of the Census and include the calculated number of people living in an area as of July 1. The estimated population is calculated from a components of change model that incorporates information on natural change (births, deaths) and net migration (net internal migration, net international migration) that has occurred in an area since a Census 2000 reference date for 2001-2009 estimates and Census 2010 for 2011-2014 estimates. 2013 metro/non-metro information is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (ERS) website: http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-continuum-codes.aspx.
Actual indicator available - description

Health care workers include active physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurse, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialist, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and advance practice nurse midwives.
Date of national source publication

July 2016
Periodicity

Annual
Scheduled update by national source

July 2017
Date metadata updated

December 2016
Disaggregation geography

National and by metro status

This table provides information on metadata for SDG indicators as defined by the UN Statistical Commission. Complete global metadata is provided by the UN Statistics Division.

Indicator

Indicator 3.c.1: Health worker density and distribution

Target

Target 3.c: Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States
Organisation

World Health Organization (WHO)
Definition and concepts

Health worker densities by occupation

Definition:

Density of medical doctors: The density of medical doctors is defined as the number of medical doctors, including generalists and specialist medical practitioners per 10,000 population in the given national and/or subnational area. The International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) unit group codes included in this category are 221, 2211 and 2212 of ISCO-08.

Density of nursing and midwifery personnel: The density of nursing and midwifery personnel is defined as the number of nursing and midwifery personnel per 10,000 population in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 codes included in this category are 2221, 2222, 3221 and 3222.

Density of dentists: The density of dentists is defined as the number of dentists per 10,000 population in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 codes included in this category are 2261.

Density of pharmacists: The density of pharmacists is defined as the number of pharmacists per 10,000 population in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 codes included in this category are 2262.

Health worker distribution by sex

Percentage of male medical doctors: Male doctors as percentage of all medical doctors at national level. The ISCO-08 codes included in this category are 221, 2211 and 2212.

Percentage of female medical doctors: Female doctors as percentage of all medical doctors at national level. The ISCO-08 codes included in this category are 221, 2211 and 2212.

Percentage of male nursing personnel: Male nursing personnel as percentage of all nursing personnel at national level. The ISCO-08 codes included in this category are 2221 and 3221.

Percentage of female nursing personnel: Female nursing personnel as percentage of all nursing personnel at national level. The ISCO-08 codes included in this category are 2221 and 3221.
Unit of measure

Health worker densities by occupation: Per 10,000 population

Health worker distribution by sex and type of occupation: Percent (%)
Data sources

In response to the Sixty-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA69.19), an online National Health Workforce Accounts (NHWA) data platform was developed to facilitate national reporting. In addition to the reporting, the platform also serves as an analytical tool at the national/regional and global levels. Since Its launch in November 2017, Member States are called to use the NHWA data platform to report health workforce data. Complementing the national reporting through the NHWA data platform, additional sources such as the National Census, Labour Force Surveys and key administrative national and regional sources are also employed. Most of the data from administrative sources are derived from published national health sector reviews and/or official country reports to WHO offices.
Data providers

NHWA focal point at national level
Comment and limitations

Data on health workers tend to be more complete for the public health sector and may underestimate the active workforce in the private, military, nongovernmental organization and faith-based health sectors. In many cases, information maintained at the national regulatory bodies and professional councils is not updated.

As data is not always published annually for each country, the latest available data has been used. Due to the differences in data sources, considerable variability remains across countries in the coverage, periodicity, quality and completeness of the original data. Densities are calculated using the latest national population estimates from the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects database and may vary from densities produced by the country.
Method of computation

Health worker densities by occupation

The figures for number of medical doctors (including generalist and specialist medical practitioners) depending on the nature of the original data source may include practising medical doctors only or all registered medical doctors.

The figures for number of nursing and midwifery include nursing personnel and midwifery personnel, whenever available. In many countries, nurses trained with midwifery skills are counted and reported as nurses. This makes the distinction between nursing personnel and midwifery personnel difficult to draw.

The figures for number of dentists include dentists in the given national and/or subnational area. Depending on the nature of the original data source may include practising (active) only or all registered in the health occupation. The ISCO -08 codes included here are 2261.

The figures for number of pharmacists include in the given national and/or subnational area. Depending on the nature of the original data source may include practising (active) only or all registered in the health occupation. The ISCO-08 codes that relate to this occupation is 2262.

In general, the denominator data for workforce density (i.e. national population estimates) are obtained from the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects database. In cases where the official health workforce report provides density indicators instead of counts, estimates of the stock were then calculated using the latest population estimates from the United Nations Population Division's World population prospects database.

Health worker distribution by sex and type of occupation

The number of male medical doctors as reported by the country is expressed as a percentage of total male and female medical doctors reported by the country.

The number of female medical doctors as reported by the country is expressed as a percentage of total male and female medical doctors reported by the country.

The number of male nursing personnel as reported by the country is expressed as a percentage of total male and female nursing personnel reported by the country.

The number of female nursing personnel as reported by the country is expressed as a percentage of total male and female nursing personnel reported by the country.
Metadata update

2023-12-15
International organisations(s) responsible for global monitoring

Health Workforce Department, World Health Organization (WHO)
UN designated tier

1
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