Community health needs assessment
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Community health needs assessment Developing a methodology for the community Tracy Butler, Chris Sparks and Debbie Oxley Health Needs Assessment (HNA) has received an increasing amount of attention recently. In particular the importance of the community playing a role in the development of HNA is now widely acknowledged. Community involvement will help to ensure
NEED Unmet areas of potential benefit
that the resources provided actually satisfy the needs of the community.
This article outlines the work on developing a
Expressed
methodology that describes how a community can build its own health profile, and ultimately conduct its own HNA. This method is documented in a 'Guide' intended for the community. The quantitative stages of the method are focused on and a health profile of
DEMAND
unmet needs
Needs and demand correctly met
Heeley Green a community in Sheffield, South
Services supplied to to meet demand not needed
Yorkshire is produced. -ooOooSUPPLY
This particular project was concerned with the initial stages of a larger project designed by the Community Operational Research Unit. Our involvement was during Summer 1993, whilst on our placement as
Services supplied not needed
Figure 1: The interaction of needs, demand and supply
part requirement for the MSc(Eng.) in OR at the University of Birmingham.
Due to an increasing demand on resources, it was decided in 1989 that the NHS structure and management would change and so the purchaser-provider split evolved (White Paper, 1989). The resource allocation decisions within the health planning process have become increasingly important
Primarily, we were to establish what quantitative data on a community's characteristics existed, and how it could be analysed. However, there was
speculation on what the future stages of the project might include.
and need to be accurate and efficient to prevent
resources being wasted. However, before re-
sources can be allocated it is necessary to correctly
Health needs assessment
identify the health needs of the community being
A brief history
served.
Previously health needs have been determined
As a result of the NHS reforms and additionally, as a response to the 'Health for All' initiatives proposed
using a top-down approach. Health authorities have extrapolated past epidemiological facts such as the frequency and duration of illnesses to predict what is needed in the future. However, this approach can lead to needs not being met, or a provision of services that are not actually required by the population.
by the World Health Organisation (WHO), HNA methodology has become more dynamic. Even
though assessments are instigated by authorities, ongoing mechanisms exist for the involvement of communities and other organisations in the planning
Figure 1 shows how demand, supply and needs interact. The objective of HNA is to try and match
and evaluation of services (Glampson, 1975; Healthgain Conference, 1992).
demand and supply as far as possible.
Copyright 0 1995 Operational Research Society.
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