Final answer:
Economists measure health outcomes using metrics like mortality rates and life expectancy, with the health index being a composite measure.
Step-by-step explanation:
Economists use various health metrics to measure health outcomes. Among these, mortality rates and life expectancy are key indicators. Mortality rates reflect the number of deaths in a population over a given period, while life expectancy measures the average age to which a person can expect to live. Another critical metric that combines several measures is a health index, which can help compare the well-being of groups of people, although there is debate about what factors should be included in such indexes. Factors such as literacy rates, infant mortality rates, and the impact of personal preferences and healthcare expenditures on health outcomes also play significant roles in assessing health and the standard of living.
It is difficult to determine whether health outcomes like life expectancy result from personal choices or health care spending. Factors such as diet, exercise, risky behavior, and tobacco use combine with the impact of healthcare interventions, such as annual check-ups, to affect health outcomes in complicated ways, making simple comparisons challenging.