Regional distribution of pain clinicians in Japan

Abstract

Background: The existence of regional differences in the number of medical doctors in Japan has been known. However, the geographical distribution of pain clinicians in Japan has not been unknown. Therefore, this study was aimed at investigating the numbers of pain clinicians regionally.
Methods: We compared the numbers of members and diplomats of the Board of the Japan Society of Pain Clinicians (JSPC) in the regular population and medical doctors among the 47 prefectures and the 11 district Societies of the JSPC.
Results: There were significant correlation coefficients between each of the general population, the number of medical doctors, members of the JSPC, and diplomats of the Board of the JSPC in all prefectures. The average number of members of the JSPC per 100, 000 population was 3.2, and the maximum difference among all prefectures (MDAP) was 3.6 times. The Tokyo District Society of the JSPC had the largest number (5.3), and the Tokai District Society had the smallest (2.2), of members per 100, 000 population. The average number of diplomats of the Board of the JSPC per 100, 000 population was 1.0, and the MDAP was 6.4 times. The Tokyo District Society of the JSPC had the largest number (1.7), and the Tokai District Society had the smallest (0.7), of diplomats of the Board per 100, 000 population. The average percentage of members of the JSPC in medical doctors was 1.6%, and the MDAP was 3.3 times. The Tokyo District Society of the JSPC had the highest percentage (2.1%), and the Tokai District Society had the lowest (1.3%), of members of the JSPC in medical doctors. The average percentage of diplomats of the Board of the JSPC in medical doctors was 0.52%, and the MDAP was 5.8 times. The Hokuriku District Society of the JSPC had the highest percentage (0.76%), and the Kyushu District Society had the lowest (0.36%), of diplomats of the Board of the JSPC in medical doctors. The average percentage of diplomats of the Board of the JSPC per members of JSPC was 32%, and the MDAP was 3.3 times. The Hokuriku District Society of the JSPC had the highest percentage (44%), and the Kyushu District Society had the lowest (25%), of diplomats of the Board of the JSPC per members of the JSPC.
Conclusion: There were remarkable regional differences in the numbers of members of the JSPC and diplomats of the Board of the JSPC in the regular population and medical doctors, in terms of the MDAP in this study. These results suggest that there is a regional discrepancy in the number of pain clinicians in Japan.