[Use of an index of social welfare for health planning at a municipal level].
OBJECTIVE
This paper analyzes the relationship between a living standards index for small areas based on census data and information on morbidity and health care utilization.


METHODS
The information was gathered through a health interview survey of a random sample of 1 238 households from rural areas of Tlaxcala, Mexico.


RESULTS
The population from localities with lower living standards showed significantly higher prevalences of morbidity and worse self-reported health status measures, as compared to localities with higher living standards. On the contrary, higher living standards were related with a greater utilization of health services.


CONCLUSIONS
The approach proved to be useful in discriminating localities and areas of high and low prevalence of morbidity and utilization of health care services, which in turn could be used to identify those areas where needs are greatest. The implications of the results for health planning and resource allocation (based on population health needs and underlying social conditions) at the local level are discussed.
Ochoa-Díaz López
H
H
División de Salud y Población, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas México.
Sánchez-Pérez
H J
HJ
Martínez-Guzmán
L A
LA
D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006285:Health Planning / Q000592:standards*; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D009017:Morbidity; D012423:Rural Health / Q000592:standards*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014504:Urban Health / Q000592:standards*
Uso de un índice de bienestar social para la planificación de la salud a nivel municipal.