Guidelines for Assessing the Preparedness Levels of Health Systems and Deriving Criteria of Weights for Health Systems Preparedness Index

Abstract

Background: Infectious disease outbreaks, including historical epidemics and the recent coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis, remain a global concern. Despite advancements in disease management in developed nations, low- and middle-income countries struggle because of their underdeveloped healthcare infrastructure, limited resources, and inadequate preparation. Improved data and assessment tools for preparedness are essential to effectively combat outbreaks.
Methodology: This study develops guidelines for assessing health systems’ preparedness levels (HSPI) and derives criteria weights for HSPI. We chose tuberculosis as an example to develop the HSPI framework and entropy-derived weights across all states in India. Indicators were sourced from standardized national datasets, normalized, and weighted using the entropy method. HSPI was calculated by aggregating weighted scores across indicators, providing an overall preparedness score for each state in India.
Results: This entropy approach included index variables for TB, including the Health Assessment Profile, Medical Infrastructure, Technology Infrastructure, Institutional Support, and Disease-Specific Outcome, with entropy-derived weights of 17.83 percent, 20.70 percent, 20.64 percent, 20.09 percent, and 20.73 percent, respectively. Assigning weights through entropy-based allocation enhances robustness in applications such as multi-criteria decision-making and risk assessment. The weight allocation process yielded a mean average weight between 17-22 percent. The HSPI provides a valuable framework for policymakers, health care professionals, and researchers to identify areas where improvements are needed in a country’s health system.