The Population Health Index (PHI) has a bottom-up hierarchical structure headed by Health Determinants and Health Outcomes indices. These are decomposed into ten sub-indices, corresponding to main areas of concern for health: Economic Conditions, Social Protection and Security; Education; Demographic Change; Lifestyle and Health Behaviours; Physical Environment; Built Environment; Road Safety; Healthcare Resources and Expenditure; Healthcare Performance and Health Outcomes. Each area of concern integrates a set of dimensions (17), which are independent evaluation axes for appraising health and are then made operational by 39 indicators, using data collected at EU regional level and for the year 2014.
The PHI model integrates the technical elements of a multi-criteria value model and the social elements of interdisciplinary and participatory processes, involving a multidisciplinary group of 81 experts and stakeholders from different countries and fields of knowledge and practice.
The health of each EU region is measured across all sub-indices considering the range between 0 (lowest value-score – worse health) and 100 (highest value-score – better health).
Addressing target audiences and expressing needs
- To raise awareness and possibly influence policy
We specifically want to share knowledge on the multidimensional nature of health inequalities across EU regions and to provide evidence for better decision-making in policies impacting population health. Furthermore, we are looking to support the transfer of this knowledge to policy-makers to make better use of the European Structural and Investment Funds towards closing the regional gap in Europe. The index is a useful tool with the capacity to illustrate the most and least healthy regions in the EU, the current determinants shaping future health outcomes and how health can be improved.
- EU and Member State Policy-makers
Result submitted to Horizon Results Platform by AZIENDA SANITARIA LOCALE TO3
