Cross-national comparisons of health indicators require standardized definitions and common data sources

Abstract Background Health indicators are used to monitor the health status and determinants of health of the population and population sub-groups, identify existing or emerging health problems which would require prevention and health promotion activities, help to target health care resources in th...

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Autores principales:	Hanna Tolonen, Jaakko Reinikainen, Päivikki Koponen, Hanna Elonheimo, Luigi Palmieri, Mariken J. Tijhuis, for the Joint Action on Health Information (InfAct)
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	BMC 2021
Materias:	Health information Obesity Hypertension Diabetes Asthma Indicator Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/06f470e1ca924a0488f7b5b4780269dc
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:06f470e1ca924a0488f7b5b4780269dc2021-11-28T12:13:11ZCross-national comparisons of health indicators require standardized definitions and common data sources10.1186/s13690-021-00734-w2049-3258https://doaj.org/article/06f470e1ca924a0488f7b5b4780269dc2021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-021-00734-whttps://doaj.org/toc/2049-3258Abstract Background Health indicators are used to monitor the health status and determinants of health of the population and population sub-groups, identify existing or emerging health problems which would require prevention and health promotion activities, help to target health care resources in the most adequate way as well as for evaluation of the success of public health actions both at the national and international level. The quality and validity of the health indicator depends both on available data and used indicator definition. In this study we will evaluate existing knowledge about comparability of different data sources for definition of health indicators, compare how selected health indicators presented in different international databases possibly differ, and finally, present the results from a case study from Finland on comparability of health indicators derived from different data sources at national level. Methods For comparisons, four health indicators were selected that were commonly available in international databases and available for the Finnish case study. These were prevalence of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and asthma in the adult populations. Our evaluation has three parts: 1) a scoping review of the latest literature, 2) comparison of the prevalences presented in different international databases, and 3) a case study using data from Finland. Results Literature shows that comparability of estimated outcomes for health indicators using different data sources such as self-reported questionnaire data from surveys, measured data from surveys or data from administrative health registers, varies between indicators. Also, the case study from Finland showed that diseases which require regular health care visits such as diabetes, comparability is high while for health outcomes which can remain asymptomatic for a long time such as hypertension, comparability is lower. In different international health related databases, country specific results differ due to variations in the used data sources but also due to differences in indicator definitions. Conclusions Reliable comparison of the health indicators over time and between regions within a country or across the countries requires common indicator definitions, similar data sources and standardized data collection methods.Hanna TolonenJaakko ReinikainenPäivikki KoponenHanna ElonheimoLuigi PalmieriMariken J. Tijhuisfor the Joint Action on Health Information (InfAct)BMCarticleHealth informationObesityHypertensionDiabetesAsthmaIndicatorPublic aspects of medicineRA1-1270ENArchives of Public Health, Vol 79, Iss 1, Pp 1-14 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Health information Obesity Hypertension Diabetes Asthma Indicator Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
spellingShingle	Health information Obesity Hypertension Diabetes Asthma Indicator Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Hanna Tolonen Jaakko Reinikainen Päivikki Koponen Hanna Elonheimo Luigi Palmieri Mariken J. Tijhuis for the Joint Action on Health Information (InfAct) Cross-national comparisons of health indicators require standardized definitions and common data sources
description	Abstract Background Health indicators are used to monitor the health status and determinants of health of the population and population sub-groups, identify existing or emerging health problems which would require prevention and health promotion activities, help to target health care resources in the most adequate way as well as for evaluation of the success of public health actions both at the national and international level. The quality and validity of the health indicator depends both on available data and used indicator definition. In this study we will evaluate existing knowledge about comparability of different data sources for definition of health indicators, compare how selected health indicators presented in different international databases possibly differ, and finally, present the results from a case study from Finland on comparability of health indicators derived from different data sources at national level. Methods For comparisons, four health indicators were selected that were commonly available in international databases and available for the Finnish case study. These were prevalence of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and asthma in the adult populations. Our evaluation has three parts: 1) a scoping review of the latest literature, 2) comparison of the prevalences presented in different international databases, and 3) a case study using data from Finland. Results Literature shows that comparability of estimated outcomes for health indicators using different data sources such as self-reported questionnaire data from surveys, measured data from surveys or data from administrative health registers, varies between indicators. Also, the case study from Finland showed that diseases which require regular health care visits such as diabetes, comparability is high while for health outcomes which can remain asymptomatic for a long time such as hypertension, comparability is lower. In different international health related databases, country specific results differ due to variations in the used data sources but also due to differences in indicator definitions. Conclusions Reliable comparison of the health indicators over time and between regions within a country or across the countries requires common indicator definitions, similar data sources and standardized data collection methods.
format	article
author	Hanna Tolonen Jaakko Reinikainen Päivikki Koponen Hanna Elonheimo Luigi Palmieri Mariken J. Tijhuis for the Joint Action on Health Information (InfAct)
author_facet	Hanna Tolonen Jaakko Reinikainen Päivikki Koponen Hanna Elonheimo Luigi Palmieri Mariken J. Tijhuis for the Joint Action on Health Information (InfAct)
author_sort	Hanna Tolonen
title	Cross-national comparisons of health indicators require standardized definitions and common data sources
title_short	Cross-national comparisons of health indicators require standardized definitions and common data sources
title_full	Cross-national comparisons of health indicators require standardized definitions and common data sources
title_fullStr	Cross-national comparisons of health indicators require standardized definitions and common data sources
title_full_unstemmed	Cross-national comparisons of health indicators require standardized definitions and common data sources
title_sort	cross-national comparisons of health indicators require standardized definitions and common data sources
publisher	BMC
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/06f470e1ca924a0488f7b5b4780269dc
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Cross-national comparisons of health indicators require standardized definitions and common data sources

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