Health Needs Assessment/ Resource Allocation

Question 1

Define health needs assessment.

Answer 1

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 2

Define and explain health and needs.

Answer 2

Definition of health
Bio-medical- Absence of disease
Psychosocial- Stress and function
Lay views- Felt and expressed needs

Needs
Need- Ability to benefit from an intervention
Demand
Supply

Question 3

Give an example of each:

1. Needed and supplied, not demanded
2. Needed, not demanded, not supplied
3. Needed and demanded, not supplied
4. Supplied and demanded, not needed
5. Supplied and demanded and needed
6. Supplied but not needed nor demanded
7. Demanded but not needed or supplied
8. Needed, demanded and supplied

Answer 3

Needed and supplied, not demanded
GU contact tracing, vaccinations, Collaborative assessment and management of suicidality (CAMS)

Needed, not demanded, not supplied
Treatment of child abuse

Needed and demanded, not supplied
Evidence based gaps, new medications, research

Supplied and demanded, not needed
Antibiotics for sore throat, cosmetic surgery

Supplied but not needed nor demanded
Screening

Supplied and demanded and needed
Operations for cataracts, free contraception

Demanded but not needed or supplied
Tx for common human ailments eg cough

Needed, demanded and supplied
Insulin for DM

Question 4

Explain sociological perspective (Bradshaw).

Answer 4

Felt need- Individual perceptions of variation from normal health

Expressed need- Individual seeks help to overcome variation in normal health (demand)

Normative need- Professional defines intervention appropriate for the expressed need

Comparative need- Comparison between severity, range of interventions and cost

Question 5

What are the 3 approaches to health needs assessment and limitations respectively?

Answer 5

1. Epidemiological approach
Defines the problem and the size of the problem, evaluating the services available and the existing services using an evidence-based approach to assess the effectiveness and cost effectiveness and recommendations for unmet needs.
Top down view, based on statistics
Problems- 
-Variable data quality
-little evidence base
-does not consider felt needs of people

2. Comparative approach
   Compares the services received by a population with others:
   -Spatial (geographical)
   -Social (age, gender, class, ethnicity)
   Problems:
   -May not yield what the most appropriate level
   e.g. of provision or utilisation should be
   -May be difficult to find a comparable population
   -data may be of variable quality
   -data may not be available

3. Corporate approach
Getting views from different people eg commissioners, politicians, professionals to make a decision
Problems:
-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