Health needs assessment at a group and population level

Question 1

What is the definition of need

Answer 1

the ability to benefit from an intervention

Question 2

What is the definition of demand

Answer 2

What people ask for

Question 3

What is the definition of supply

Answer 3

What is provided by a health service

Question 4

What is health needs assessment

Answer 4

Health needs assessment is a systematic
method for reviewing the health issues
facing a population, leading to agreed
priorities and resource allocation that will
improve health and reduce inequalities

Question 5

What is meant by a health need

Answer 5

Need for health
Concerns need in more general terms
e.g. measured using mortality, morbidity, socio-demographic
measures

Question 6

What is meant by a health care need

Answer 6

Need for health care
Much more specific
Ability to benefit from health care
Depends on the potential of prevention, treatment and care services to remedy health problems

Question 7

Who or what might a health needs assessment be carried out for

Answer 7

A population or sub-group e.g. Manor practice population
A condition e.g. COPD
An intervention e.g. coronary angioplasty

Question 8

What is meant by felt need

Answer 8

individual perceptions of variation from normal health

Question 9

What is meant by expressed need

Answer 9

individual seeks help to
overcome variation in normal health
(demand)

Question 10

What is meant by normative need

Answer 10

professional defines intervention appropriate for the expressed
need

Question 11

What is meant by comparative need

Answer 11

comparison between severity, range of interventions and cost

Question 12

What three approaches are involved in a health needs assessment

Answer 12

Epidemiological
comparative
corporate

Question 13

What is the epidemiological approach

Answer 13

Define problem
Size of problem =incidence / prevalence
Services available = prevention / treatment / care
Evidence base = effectiveness and cost-effectiveness
Models of care = including quality and outcome measures
Existing service = unmet need; services not needed
Recommendations

Question 14

What are the limitations of the epidemiological approach

Answer 14

Required data may not be available
 Variable data quality
 Evidence base may be inadequate
 Does not consider felt needs of people
affected

Question 15

What is the comparative approach

Answer 15

Compares the services received by a
population (or subgroup) with others
 Spatial
 Social (age, gender, class, ethnicity)
May examine:
 Health status
 Service provision
 Service utilisation
 Health outcomes
 (mortality, morbidity, quality of life, patient satisfaction)

Question 16

What are the limitations of the comparative approach

Answer 16

May not yield what the most appropriate level
e.g. of provision or utilisation should be
Data may not be available
Data may be of variable quality
May be difficult to find a comparable
population

Question 17

What is the corporate approach

Answer 17

Seeking the view points of individuals and groups of people related to the health issue being investigated

Question 18

What are the limitations of the corporate approach

Answer 18

May be difficult to distinguish need from
demand
 Groups may have vested interests
 May be influenced by political agendas
 Dominant personalities may have undue
influence