PROSPECTS FOR A WIDESPREAD USE OF COMPREHENSIVE INDICATORS CHARACTERIZING POPULATION HEALTH IN RUSSIA
Authors:   Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russia, Grigorov Andrey , Sabgaida Tamara ,   Research Institute for Healthcare Organization and Medical Management of Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russia,   Federal Research Institute for Health Organization and Informatics of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia, Zaporozhchenko Vyacheslav ,   Federal Research Institute for Health Organization and Informatics of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
Published: August 2024

Comprehensive indicators characterizing population health have proven their practical significance and are widely used by foreign researchers to determine the contribution of a healthcare system to improving population health. In Russia such indicators are hardly used. The purpose of the study was to determine prospects for a widespread use of comprehensive indicators characterizing population health in Russia, which have shown a high practical significance abroad. Material and methods. The information required to calculate comprehensive indicators characterizing population health was analysed; the number of Russian-language and English-language publications was compared with the results of using these indicators in 2023; limitations to their widespread use by Russian researchers were discussed. Directions for practical use of comprehensive indicators characterizing population health were identified (problem urgency assessment, program effectiveness analysis, comparison of population groups, economic assessment, analysis of factor influence). Results. Compared to the frequency of use of the analysed indicators abroad, in Russia, the indicators of avoidable mortality and DALYs are used fundamentally less frequently, the indicators of health-related quality of life and years of potential life lost - comparatively less often, and the indicators of healthy life expectancy - equally often. A significant lack of information required to calculate an indicator is identified for DALYs only. Discussion. The global scientific community has developed many different comprehensive indicators characterizing population health without participation of Russian scientists, which is due not only to language barriers. The fundamental difference between the Russian situation and the developed countries is the lack of free access to databases for specialists, as well as insufficient informatization of analytical research. Conclusion. Russian specialists significantly lag behind in using comprehensive indicators characterizing population health, which have proven their high practical significance abroad. The main reasons include a systemic lag in statistical data collection, availability of information to a wide range of researchers, as well as insufficient knowledge of the methods of mathematical analysis among medical specialists in public health. A widespread use of healthy life expectancy indicators is due to availability of information and ease of calculation. To date, for Russian researchers the use and calculation of comprehensive indicators characterizing population health are limited. Regarding prospects for a widespread use of comprehensive indicators characterizing population health in our country, we can say that they will appear only upon finalized informatization of the industry, as well as free access to departmental databases for all specialists.