Health Needs Assessment

Question 1

Define health needs assessment

Answer 1

A systematic method of identifying unmet health care needs of a population and making changes to meet these unmet needs

Question 2

What are the aims of a health needs assessment?

Answer 2

To provide information to plan, negotiate and change health services for the better and to improve health.

Question 3

What are the four main categories of need? (Bradshaw classification)

Answer 3

Felt: need perceived by the individual

Expressed: felt need that is expressed (demand)

Normative: professional defines interventions appropriate for the expressed need

Comparative: need implied by an inequitable service to comparable populations

Question 4

Define need, supply and demand in healthcare

Answer 4

Need: a capacity to benefit

Supply: services that are provided

Demand: what the population wants

Question 5

What are the three approaches for a health needs assessment?

Answer 5

Epidemiological: description of current services and epidemiology of health condition and risk factors

Comparative: compare levels of service and care between different populations

Corporate: ask experts, users, policy makers their views on what they would like included

Question 6

Epidemiological approach to HNA

Answer 6

1. Size of the problem (incidence, prevalence)
2. Effectiveness and cost of services and interventions
3. Description of current services

Question 7

Comparative approach to HNA

Answer 7

Contrasts the services received by the population in one area with a comparable population in another area. Looks at how other populations provide services for a certain condition.

Question 8

Corporate approach to HNA

Answer 8

Systematic collection of the knowledge and views of informants on healthcare services and needs. Stakeholders contribute a corporate view of local needs and what should be changed. Includes service users, service providers and strategic partners (e.g. politicians)

Question 9

Objectives of an HNA

Answer 9

1. Improve effectiveness of services and activities
2. Improve equity (equal resource for equal need)
3. Target inefficiency (allocate resources to those in need)
4. Set priorities
5. Gather general information on the health and need of the population
6. Corporate involvement

Question 10

Areas where Health needs assessment is done

Answer 10

Health protection
Screening/immunisation
Health promotion
Treatment for diseases
Rehabilitation
Palliative care