Health outcome indicator

A statistic or other unit of information which reflects, directly or indirectly, the effect of an intervention, facility, service or system on the health of its target population, or the health of an individual.

• A generic indicator provides information on health, perceived health or a specific dimension of health using measurement methods that can be applied to people in any health condition.
• A condition-specific indicator provides information on specific clinical conditions or health problems, or aspects of physiological function pertaining to specific conditions or problems.

Epidemiological terminology

• An association exists between two phenomena (such as an intervention and a health outcome) if the occurrence or quantitative characteristics of one of the phenomena varies with the occurrence or quantitative characteristics of the other.
• One phenomenon is attributable to another if there is a causal link between the phenomena. Attribution depends upon the weight of evidence for causality.
• Association is necessary (but not sufficient) for attribution. Associations may be fortuitous or causal. The term relationship is to be taken as synonymous with association.