ANALYZING HEALTH OUTCOMES THROUGH INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS

There is increasing interest in the conduct of international studies t hat compare health care outcomes. This paper draws from the literature in sociology, anthropology, and psychology to examine the problems th at can be encountered when collecting primary data for comparative pur poses. Issues of study design, selection, development, and adaptation of instruments, problems encountered in collecting primary data, and t echniques for analyzing comparative data are discussed. The paper is i ntended as a primer for health services researchers conducting compara tive outcomes research in international settings.