Health and Quality of Life Outcomes BioMed Central Commentary Open Access Need for redefining needs Mohsen Asadi-Lari1, Chris Packham2 and David Gray*1 Address: 1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University Hospital, Nottingham, UK, NG7 2UH and 2Division of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK Email: Mohsen Asadi-Lari - msxma@; Chris Packham - ; David Gray* - * Corresponding author Published: 21 August 2003 Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 2003, 1:34 This article is available from: Received: 03 June 2003 Accepted: 21 August 2003 © 2003 Asadi-Lari et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article: verbatim copying and redistribution of this article. | BioMed Central Health and Quality of Life Outcomes Commentary Need for redefining needs Mohsen Asadi-Lari1 Chris Packham2 and David Gray 1 Open Access Address 1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine University Hospital Nottingham UK NG7 2UH and 2Division of Epidemiology and Public Health University of Nottingham Nottingham UK Email Mohsen Asadi-Lari - msxma@ Chris Packham - David Gray - Corresponding author Published 21 August 2003 Received 03 June 2003 Accepted 21 August 2003 Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 2003 1 34 This article is available from http content l l 34 2003 Asadi-Lari et al licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article verbatim copying and redistribution of this article are permitted in all media for any purpose provided this notice is preserved along with the article s original URL. Abstract Defining needs is difficult due to the inherent complexity of the concept of need so it is not surprising that numerous definitions have been proposed. Health consists of a wide range of characteristics so health needs ought to include personal and social care health care accommodation finance education employment and leisure transport and access. Target-driven standards in areas of health care with a high political profile appear to be replacing the concept of universal provision and clinical need this major change in clinical care warrants a reevaluation of health care outcomes. Identifying who might benefit from this new approach to health care is equally important if scarce resources are to be fully and appropriately utilised. If the goal of care is optimal health the key marker of success ought to be to ascertain individual patients health care needs HCN and tailor services accordingly. Wide variation in the description of needs directly affects policies and services intended to meet a population s health care needs. Consequently the definition of needs has .
