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A comparison of two proxy measures for morbidity
Epidemiology and Community Health
|March 1, 1979
Summary
Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) are criticized for resource allocation. The standardised notification rate (SNR) is proposed as a better measure of morbidity, particularly for infectious diseases like tuberculosis.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) are criticized for their use in National Health Service (NHS) resource allocation.
- Low death counts from infectious diseases limit the effectiveness of SMRs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate alternative measures for proxying morbidity in resource allocation.
- To compare the Standardised Notification Rate (SNR) with SMR for respiratory tuberculosis.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of SMR and SNR for respiratory tuberculosis.
- Assessment of proxy measures for morbidity.
Main Results:
- The Standardised Notification Rate (SNR) demonstrated a better proxy for morbidity compared to SMR.
- This finding is particularly relevant for infectious diseases with low mortality.
Conclusions:
- The SNR is a more appropriate measure than SMR for assessing morbidity in resource allocation for the NHS.
- Consideration of SNR is recommended for infectious diseases like tuberculosis.