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Concept
Health indicator
Summary
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. Health indicators are often used by governments to guide health care policy or to make goals for improving population health.
A health indicator which will be used internationally to describe global health should have the following characteristics:
It should be defined in such a way that it can be measured uniformly internationally.
It must have statistical validity.
The indicator must be data which can feasibly be collected in a reasonable amount of time.
The analysis of the data must result in a recommendation on which people can make changes to improve health
This is not a comprehensive list of health indicators.
Life expectancy at birth
Number of years a newborn is expected to live based on current mortality trends.
Infant mortality rate
Number of infant deaths (children under 1 year) per 1,000 live births in a year.
Neonatal mortality rate
Number of newborn deaths (children under 28 days) per 1,000 births in a year.
Maternal mortality ratio
Number of women who die due to pregnancy or birth complications per 100,000 births in a year.
Mortality from cardiovascular diseases
Cancer incidence
Diabetes incidence
Depression incidence
Disability adjusted life years (DALY)
A measurement of premature death or lower quality of life due to disability.
Activities of daily living (ADL)
A measurement of ability to self-sustain based on ability to perform daily activities such as dressing, feeding, and grooming.
Alcohol consumption
Smoking in adults
Physical exercise habits
Condom use
Obesity rate
Asthma rate
High blood pressure rate
Air pollution levels
Exclusive breastfeeding rate
Number of mothers who only feed their infants breast milk for the first 6 months of life per a unit of measurement.
Official source
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Health policy
Health policy can be defined as the "decisions, plans, and actions that are undertaken to achieve specific healthcare goals within a society". According to the World Health Organization, an explicit health policy can achieve several things: it defines a vision for the future; it outlines priorities and the expected roles of different groups; and it builds consensus and informs people. Health policy often refers to the health-related content of a policy.
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the determinants of health of a population and the threats it faces is the basis for public health. The public can be as small as a handful of people or as large as a village or an entire city; in the case of a pandemic it may encompass several continents.