Health indicator

Health indicators are quantifiable characteristics of a population which researchers use as supporting evidence for describing the health of a population. Typically, researchers will use a survey methodology to gather information about a population sample, use statistics in an attempt to generalize the information collected to the entire population, and then use the statistical analysis to make a statement about the health of the population.[1] Health indicators are often used by governments to guide health care policy or to make goals for improving population health.[1]

Characteristics

A health indicator which will be used internationally to describe global health should have the following characteristics:

  1. It should be defined in such a way that it can be measured uniformly internationally.[2]
  2. It must have statistical validity.[2]
  3. The indicator must be data which can feasibly be collected in a reasonable amount of time.[2][3]
  4. The analysis of the data must result in a recommendation on which people can make changes to improve health[2]

Health indicator examples

*This is not a comprehensive list of health indicators.

Health status

Risk factors

  • Alcohol consumption[4]
  • Smoking in adults[4]
  • Physical exercise habits[4]
  • Condom use[6]
  • Obesity rate[6]
  • Asthma rate[6]
  • High blood pressure rate[6]
  • Air pollution levels[6]
  • Exclusive breastfeeding rate[6]
    • Number of mothers who only feed their infants breast milk for the first 6 months of life per a unit of measurement.[5]
  • Child stunting rate[6]
    • Number of children who have a low height for their age (more than two standard deviations below the international reference) due to poor nutrition per a unit of measurement.[5]
  • Child wasting rate[6]
    • Number of children who have a low weight for their height (more than two standard deviations below the international reference) due to poor nutrition per a unit of measurement.[5]

Health systems

  • Healthcare coverage[4]
    • Number of people with some type of health care coverage/insurance per unit of measurement.[4]
  • Hospital beds per capita[4]
  • Doctors per capita[4]
  • Nurses per capita[4]
  • Hospital readmission rates[6]
  • Health expenditure as percentage of GDP[6]
    • Percentage of a nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) used toward healthcare.[6]
  • People with HIV aware of their status[6]
  • Breast cancer screening rate[6]
  • Birth registration rate[6]
    • Number of people with a government- verified birth certificate per unit of measurement.[6]
  • Death registration rate[6]
    • Number of people with a government- verified death certificate per unit of measurement.[6]

Applications

Health indicators are commonly used to make large-scale or community health-related decisions.[8] By describing the current health of a population, the areas that need improvement become evident, and policy-makers and health professionals can work to fill these gaps.[8][3] Once interventions are put in place to try to improve the health of a population, health indicators can then be used to evaluate the success of the intervention.[3]

Additionally, health indicators can highlight health disparities in a population.[3] Differences in health indicators among genders, races, ethnic groups, socioeconomic classes, and other groups can be used to guide policy and interventions that will bring health equity in the future.[3]

Health indicators are used by many institutions, including international organizations such as the United Nations and World Health Organization (WHO).[9][10] They are also used by smaller-scale community health organizations, hospitals, and other medical and public health organizations such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC), National Institute of Health (NIH), The African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP), and Global Alliance for Africa.[10][11]

References

  1. ^ a b Skolnik, Richard L. (2021). Global health 101 (4th ed.). Burlington, MA. ISBN 978-1-284-14539-7. OCLC 1126251416.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ a b c d Larson, C.; Mercer, A. (2004). "Global health indicators: An overview". Canadian Medical Association Journal. 171 (10): 1199–1200. doi:10.1503/cmaj.1021409. PMC 524951. PMID 15534313.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Health Indicators: Conceptual and Operational Considerations". Pan American Health Organization. 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Development., Organisation for Economic Co-operation and (2015). Health at a Glance 2015 : OECD Indicators. OECD Publishing. ISBN 978-92-64-24351-4. OCLC 932052293.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Skolnik, Richard L. (2021). Global health 101 (4th ed.). Burlington, MA. ISBN 978-1-284-14539-7. OCLC 1126251416.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v World Health Organization (2018). "2018 Global Reference List of 100 Core Health Indicators" (PDF). World Health Organization.
  7. ^ "Activity and Mobility Promotion" (PDF). Johns Hopkins Medicine. 2022.
  8. ^ a b Culyer, Anthony (1978-12-31). Measuring Health: Lessons for Ontario. University of Toronto Press. doi:10.3138/9781442653412. ISBN 978-1-4426-5341-2.
  9. ^ World Health Organization (2018). "2018 Global Reference List of 100 Core Health Indicators" (PDF). World Health Organization.
  10. ^ a b Leading Health Indicators 2030. 2020-03-05. doi:10.17226/25682. ISBN 978-0-309-67187-3. PMID 32200597. S2CID 240828832.
  11. ^ "Resources on African Health and Diseases". www.africa.upenn.edu. Retrieved 2022-11-30.