Health Care Utilization Measures, Essay Example

Abstract

This work examines health status indicators and health care utilization and answers how culture affects the formation of these measures and the correctness of the measures typically utilized to assess health status indicators and health care utilization.

Healthcare: Examination of Health Status Indicators and Health Care Utilization Measures

Health status indicators and health care utilization vary from one location and region to another. It is reported in the work of Andersen, Aday and Chen (1986) in the work entitled “At the Intersection of Health, Health Care and Policy” that health status and health care utilization measures “…are central indicatorsof the performance of the health care system.” It is additionally reported that it has been suggested by “Henrik Blum and others…that many factors other than the services conventionally provided through the health care system, arelarge contributors to health status, including the environment, lifestyle,and human biology.” (Andersen, Aday and Chen, 1986) It is reported that during their lifetime, individuals in the United States are “exposed to a variety of environmental toxic agents including air and water pollutants, hazardous wastes, food additives, pesticide and consumer and industrial chemicals.” (Andersen, Aday and Chen, 1986) Long-term exposure to pollutants in the air has been linked to cancer, respiratory, andother diseases.” (Andersen, Aday and Chen, 1986) Therefore, if these pollutants are not calculated into the equation with health status indicators and health care utilization measures the measures are erroneous and not clearly representative of the actual health status and health care utilization of the population being measured. The work of Cristian Ilie (nd) reports that health communities are those that “actively work of improve the health and quality of life of all their residents. Therefore, the definition of health goes beyond the absence of disease and the traditional medical concept and addresses the underlying factors in quality of life, such as the environment, crime, and literacy.” From the literature reviewed in this brief study it is clear that cultural factors impact the measures utilized as health status indicators and corresponding health care utilization.

References

Ilie, Cristian (nd) Factors Influencing Managed Care Growth in Pennsylvania. Are HMOs Targeting Healthier Populations? Epidemiological Applications in Health Services Research.

Andersen, R., Aday, L.A., and Chen, M.S. (1986) Health Status and Health Care Utilization. Health Affairs, 5, No. 1 1986. Retrieved from: http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/5/1/154.full.pdf