A variety of summary measures including morbidity, mortality, disability and associated costs are frequently used to assess public health. These summary measures are often used in combination, as one measure alone may not accurately reflect the true state of public health. While it is understood that a single summary measure is insufficient in describing the health of a population, there is also controversy as to which measures of public health best characterize the public's health (Thacker, 2006).
Citing at least two (2) references not found in the course materials, identify and describe the characteristics that you believe a public health summary measure should possess. How might these characteristics contribute to and improve our understanding of disease burden in the population?
Initial posts must be made no later than Thursday by 11:55pm EST. You must respond to the posts of at least two (2) classmates no later than 11:55pm EST on Saturday. Responses of "Nice job" or "I agree" followed by a regurgitation of the original post are not acceptable and will not count towards the minimum 2 responses.