In: Nursing
what implication does an existing disparity in health indicators have on setting target values for that indicator?
The disparity in health indicators, which are measures designed for summarizing information regarding a given priority topic in population health or performance of health system. The existing disparity in health indicators such as the global monitoring of changes in the health of various populations requires the use of “tried and true” global health indicators. However, there is a need for indicators that are relevant to current and contemporary patterns of disease and their determinants, (Larson, 2004). For example, several global health indicators, like infant mortality rate, are well known to health professionals in both developed and developing countries. However, many others are not well understood as they bewilder readers or create “statistical overload” instead of accomplishing the desired purpose of improving understanding (Larson, 2004). Thus such disparities in health indicators lead to a confusion regarding the priorities on setting target values for that indicator.