A summary measure of health disparity

Abstract

A Summary Measure of Health Disparity SYNOPSISObjectives. Eliminating health disparities is a goal of Healthy People 2010. In order to track progress toward this goal, we need improved methods for measuring disparity. The authors present the Index of Disparity (ID) as a summary measure of disparity.Methods. The ID, a modified coefficient of variation, was used to measure disparity across populations defined on the basis of race/ethnicity, income, education, and gender. Disparity was also assessed for a diverse range of health indicators and over time to monitor trends.

Geographical disparities in child mortality in the rural areas of Iran: 16-years trend

“…The ID isp can be used to compare inequity trends 1. We estimated ID isp for each of the four mortality indices in each of the 16 years.…”

“…Where r i indicates the measure of health status in the jth group, r ref is the measure of indicator in the total population or reference group and J shows the number of groups 1. A decreasing trend in the annual ID isp indicates reduction of health disparity and shows an improvement in between-groups equality.…”

“…Unnecessary, avoidable, unfair and unjust difference in health is defined as inequity and is a synonym for disparity 1. For practical purposes, the absence of systematic disparities in health or its social determinants between different social groups is considered as health equity 2.…”

Vitamin D3 supplementation (4000 IU/d for 1 y) eliminates differences in circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D between African American and white men

“…According to a systematic review of the current literature that screened .6000 references on vitamin D and cardiometabolic disorders (13), higher concentrations of circulating vitamin D among middle-age and elderly populations are associated with a substantial decrease in cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. This association is particularly important for African Americans, who are affected by these pathologies in disproportionate numbers (14,15). Furthermore, African Americans are significantly more likely to have suboptimal concentrations of circulating 25(OH)D (5).…”

Assessment of the health of Americans: the average health-related quality of life and its inequality across individuals and groups

“…To explore the decomposition technique, this study uses race as an example. Although this study does not intend to undertake a full investigation of health inequality by race in the US, the focus on race is compatible with the recent extension of the attention from inequalities in health care by race [31,32] to inequalities in health outcomes by race [33,34]. …”