Indicator is defined as which of the following?

• A. A measure of health status or a health outcome
• B. A political process
• C. A type of health insurance
• D. A method of delivering health care

Answer: (A)

An indicator is a measurable reflection of health status or a health outcome—something you can quantify to describe how healthy people are or how a health condition affects a population. We use indicators to track trends over time, compare groups, and assess whether programs are improving health. Examples include life expectancy, infant mortality rate, and the prevalence of a disease or risk factor. The other options describe processes or systems rather than health outcomes: a political process involves governance and policy-making; health insurance is a financing mechanism; a method of delivering health care is a way services are provided. That’s why measuring health status or outcomes best fits the concept of an indicator.