Population health assessment – sources and methods of determining the indicators of population health, basic groups of population health indicators.
- Assessment of overall health of population
- Life expectancy has increased in most countries --> chronic diseases also increased
- Sander proposed first health indicator in 1964
- In 1971 Sullivan developed technique for Health expectancy index --> How many years people could expect to live in good health
- For calculation of “Health expectancy” for individual:
- Mortality data (From official statistics)
- Data on specific health characteristics (deficiency or mental state --> from interview with person)
International Classification of “Impairment, Disability and Handicaps”:
- For self-assessment of physical health
- Recommended by WHO as source of information on health status
- Aspects:
- General health evaluation
- Handicap (confined to house, chair or bed)
- Disability (Movement, mobility, dressing, eating etc.)
Indicators:
- Perceived health expectancy
- Disability-free life expectancy
- Handicap-free life expectancy
Characteristics of Health expectancy:
- Woman expect to live longer
- Woman are expected to spend more years in poor health
- In economically developed countries the proportion of expected life in good health is higher than in less developed countries
- Life expectancy in good health in urban countries is higher than in rural
- The poorest and least educated people have shorter duration of life and smaller part of it in good health
Long Healthy Life:
- Goal of WHO to extend life expectancy but also with health life
“Celebrating out extra lives without quality of life is an empty price”