Developing a National Set of Health Equity Indicators Using a Consensus Building Process.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Health Equity

Background:

• Significant health inequities exist across communities in Israel, impacting citizens' right to optimal health.
• Establishing national equity indicators is a critical first step towards achieving health equity and monitoring disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the consensus-building process for a defined set of national health equity indicators in Israel.
• To identify key indicators reflecting equity in healthcare provision and health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A multistage design involving stakeholder interviews to identify inequity measures.
• Development of screening criteria (public health importance, gap characteristics, potential for change, public interest) and weighting.
• A 3-round online Delphi technique with experts from health, welfare, and education sectors.

Main Results:

• Seventy-five of 77 contacted individuals (97%) agreed to participate; 55 (73%) completed all three rounds.
• Thirty measures across health promotion, morbidity, mortality, infrastructure, affordability, education, and employment were evaluated.
• The top ten indicators included diabetes care, childhood and adult obesity, healthcare personnel distribution, infant mortality, and access to care.

Conclusions:

• A consensus was achieved on crucial national equity indicators, encompassing both clinical and system-level measures.
• These indicators will guide governmental decision-making and inter-sectoral strategies to advance healthcare equity.
• The findings support efforts to reduce health disparities and ensure optimal health for all Israeli citizens.