METHODS AND ANALYSIS
We developed a method of measuring inequities in health among population groups. We identified a most healthy (better‐off) group as the reference group and a least healthy (worse‐off) group and other groups in between. In choosing groups for comparison, we sought to balance the need to demonstrate the magnitude of health inequality across groups with the need to have groups large enough to produce significant results.
Our analysis has been designed to assess shortfalls in health achievement (e.g., mortality), using the
healthiest as the reference group.
Our approach provides the empirical basis to disproportionately weigh improvements in health among the least healthy (and those with mid‐level health) more than improvements among the healthiest.
We defined the reference group or norm of maximal human potential as the highest average among units of analysis (e.g., countries in the above example) rather than the highest unit (country with lowest mortality rate) due to the potentially sui generis nature of any individual unit.