Description of health indicators

1. Dr. Ahlam Sundus

2.  Measure health status of community
 Compare health status among countries
 Estimate healthcare requirements
 Allocation of resources
 Monitoring of health services , activities and
programs
 Evaluation of target of health program

3.  Valid
 Reliable
 Sensitive
 Specific
A complete status of health can be best evaluated by
employing many indicators at a time

4.  The number of deaths in a given time or place
 The proportion of deaths to population
 Crude death rate
 Expectation of life
 Infant mortality rate
 Child mortality rate
 Under-5 proportionate mortality rate
 Maternal mortality rate
 Disease specific mortality
 Proportional mortality rate

5.  No. of deaths per 1000 population every year
 Indicator of comparative health of people
 Not meant for international comparison
◦ Results may vary on the basis of age gender and
composition of population
 Good tool for assessment of over all health
improvement in a population

6.  Mortality = number of deaths in a given time
Rate ___________________________ X 10n
population from which the deaths occurred
in the same time period

7.  At birth is defined as average number of
years that will be lived if current age-specific
mortality rates persist
 Good indicator of socio-economic
development
 Global health indicator

8.  Ratio of deaths under 1 year of age in a given
year to the live births in same year
 Expressed as a rate per 1000 live births
 Universally accepted indicator for infants,
whole population, socio-economic conditions

9.  = deaths under 1 year age during a year x 10n
live births reported during the same year

10.  Another indicator to overall health status
 1-4 years
 No. of deaths at ages 1-4 in given year per
1000 children
 Varies between least developed and
developed countries

11.  Proportion of total deaths occurring uner-5
age group
 Incorporates both Infant Mortality Rate and
Child Mortality Rate
 High in countries with poor hygiene

12.  Responsible for death among women of
reproductive age
 Varies according to socio-economic status of
country

13.  Deaths due to pregnancy related issues x 10n
live births during the same year

14.  Important to develop treatment strategies
 Decreased after discoveries of
chemotherapeutic agents
 Increased in case of cancer and
cardiovascular diseases

15.  Deaths due to disease in a given year x 10n
estimated mid-year population

16.  Simplest measure to estimate burden of
disease
“Proportionate mortality describes the proportion of
deaths in a particular population over a specified
period of time, attributable to different causes.”

17.  Deaths due to disease in a given year x 10n
total number of death from all causes in
that year

19.  Mortality doesn’t indicate the burden of ill
health
 Mental health
 Arthritis
 Asthma
 Epilepsy

20.  Incidence and frequency
 Attendance rates to OPD and health centers
 Admission, re-admission and discharge rates
 Duration of hospital stay
 Absence from work/school
 Notification rates

21.  Number of days or restricted activity
◦ Event type indicator
◦ Person type indicator
 Sullivan’s index; life expectancy free of
disability
Calculation:
 Life expectancy- number of days with
restricted mobility

22.  Prevalence of low birth rate
 Anthropometric measurements of preschoolers
(weight, height, mid-arm)
 Height and weight of children at school entry

23.  Doctor: population ratio
 Doctor: nurse population ratio
 Population: hospital bed ratio
 Population covered by health center
 Population per traditional birth attendents

24.  Proportion of infants fully immunized
 Proportion of pregnant ladies who receive full
antenatal care
 Bed occupancy rates in hospitals

25.  Incidences of
◦ Suicides
◦ Homicides
◦ Alcohol or drug abuse
◦ Family violence
 Guidance for social action

26.  Rate of increase in population
 Per capita GNP
 Level of unemployment
 Dependency ratio
 Literacy rate
 Family size
 Housing (number of person per room)