Integral health assessment of rural population for managerial decision making

Aim. The development of a software product based on the methodology of integral assessment of the health status of the rural population for the rapid assessment of the situation and management decisions.

Methods. The study was conducted in the Orenburg region, which is part of the Volga Federal District. The object of the study was the rural population of the Orenburg region (40.1% of the population of the region) and 35 rural areas with a total number of 799 thousand people. As the initial information for an integral assessment of the health status of the population, the data of the state statistical reporting of the Medical Information and Analytical Center of the Orenburg Region were used. The health status of the rural population was studied in the context of rural areas. Among the indicators (P) for assessing the health status of the rural population the following were used: V — the average age of the population of the territory; Zp — an indicator of primary incidence; Zo — an indicator of the overall incidence; I — disability indicator; S — mortality rate. The methodology for calculating the integral indicators for assessing the state of health has been tested in all 35 rural areas of the Orenburg region. The analysis made it possible to calculate the number of rural areas that are optimal, favorable, limitedly favorable, unfavorable and especially unfavorable by integral indicators for assessing the health status of the rural population.

Results. Based on the application of our methodology, a software product has been developed that includes a two-dimensional assessment of the results: numerical and color, reflecting the degree of participation of each indicator in the integral assessment. The software product we developed allows us to evaluate public health indicators in a monitoring mode in rural areas. Using a software product makes it possible to assess and determine priorities for making strategic decisions at the level of heads of health authorities and institutions, as well as heads of administration of a subject of the Federation.

Conclusion. The software product for assessing the health status of the population in a rural area may be subject to further expansion and modification of the function, and is also recommended for the presentation of information on the website of administrative territories and the administrative apparatus.