Objective  To assess the effectiveness of standardized construction of health inspection and supervision institutions at grass-roots administrative level in Henan province from 2014 to 2016 and to provide references for developing efficient models of standardized construction of health inspection and supervision institutions.

  Methods  Using stratified sampling, we selected 7 grassroots health inspection and supervision institutions involved in standardized construction as a sample group and another 7 institutions with routine administration as a control group. Field study and relevant data collection from health statistics yearbooks were conducted among all the institutions selected. A questionnaire survey was also carried out among 293 staff in the sample institutions. Chi square test and Spearman correlation coefficient were adopted in data analyses.

  Results  Compared to the institutions of control group, the institutions of sample group were supplied with more resources for health inspection and supervision after the 3-year process of standardized construction, with higher average increments in the number supervisors (7.4 vs. 2.1), the area of office space (1 531.4 vs. 439.0 square meters), the number of official vehicles (1.3 vs. 0.3), and the number of rapid detection equipments (11.0 vs. 3.4); the institutions of sample group had higher increased coverage rate of health inspection and supervision (3.05% vs. 0.74%) and the number of on-site health inspection (794 vs. 28). Of all the surveyed staff from the institutions of the sample group, 93.9% considered that the standardized construction had played a significant role in the promotion of health resource allocation and the improvement of administration capacity for health inspection and supervision institutions at grass-roots level.

  Conclusion  Health resources allocation and health inspection and supervision performance were improved for grass-roots health inspection and supervision institutions after the 3-year′s standardized construction in Henan province, suggesting that standardized construction is an important way to strengthen health inspection and supervision system in new era in China.