| OA | obstructive apnea; occipital artery; occipito-anterior; occiput anterior; octanoic acid; ocular albi... |
|---|---|
| OA/BVM | oral airway/bag-valve-mask |
| OAS | old age security; oral allergy syndrome; osmotically active substance |
| OAW | oral airways |
| OC | obstetrical conjugate; occlusocervical; office call; on call; only child; optic chiasma; oral contra... |
| health services, indigenous | Health care provided to specific cultural or tribal peoples which incorporates local customs, beliefs, and taboos. (12 Dec 1998) |
|---|---|
| health services misuse | Excessive or unnecessary utilization of health services by patients or physicians. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health services needs and demand | Health services required by a population or community as well as the health services that the population or community is able and willing to pay for. It includes the identification and assessment of the needs as measured by objective criteria and standards. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health services research | The integration of epidemiologic, sociological, economic, and other analytic sciences in the study of health services. Health services research is usually concerned with relationships between need, demand, supply, use, and outcome of health services. The aim of the research is evaluation, particularly in terms of structure, process, output, and outcome. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health status | The level of health of the individual, group, or population as subjectively assessed by the individual or by more objective measures. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health status index | Set of measurements designed to detect short-term fluctuations in health of members of a population; the measurements usually include physical function, emotional well-being, activities of daily living, feelings, etc. (05 Mar 2000) |
| health status indicators | The measurement of the health status for a given population using a variety of indices, including morbidity, mortality, and available health resources. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health surveys | A systematic collection of factual data pertaining to health and disease in a human population within a given geographic area. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health systems agencies | Health planning and resources development agencies which function in each health service area of the united states (pl 93-641). (12 Dec 1998) |
| health systems plans | Statements of goals for the delivery of health services pertaining to the health systems agency service area, established under pl 93-641, and consistent with national guidelines for health planning. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health transition | Demographic and epidemiologic changes that have occurred in the last five decades in many developing countries and that are characterised by major growth in the number and proportion of middle-aged and elderly persons and in the frequency of the diseases that occur in these age groups. The health transition is the result of efforts to improve maternal and child health via primary care and outreach services and such efforts have been responsible for a decrease in the birth rate; reduced maternal mortality; improved preventive services; reduced infant mortality, and the increased life expectancy that defines the transition. (12 Dec 1998) |
| school health services | Preventive health services provided for students. It excludes college or university students. (12 Dec 1998) |
| schools, health occupations | Schools which offer training in the area of health. (12 Dec 1998) |
| schools, public health | Educational institutions for individuals specializing in the field of public health. (12 Dec 1998) |
| proxy, health care | A health care proxy is one form of advance medical directive. Advance medical directives preserve the person's right to accept or reject a course of medical treatment even after that person becomes mentally or physically incapacitated to the point of being unable to communicate those wishes. There are two basic forms of advance directives: 1. A living will, in which the person outlines specific treatment guidelines that are to be followed by health care providers. 2. A health care proxy (also called a power of attorney for health-care decision-making) in which the person designates a trusted individual to make medical decisions in the event that he or she becomes too incapacitated to make such decisions. Advance directive requirements vary greatly from one jurisdiction to another and should therefore be drawn up in consultation with an attorney who is familiar with the laws of the particular jurisdiction. (this entry is based upon material from the national ms society). (12 Dec 1998) |