Which term describes identifiable variables that influence healthcare outcomes?

The term that best describes identifiable variables that influence healthcare outcomes is "Determinants of Health." This concept encompasses a broad range of factors that can affect health, including biological, social, economic, and environmental elements. For instance, determinants of health can include lifestyle choices, access to healthcare services, education, and socioeconomic status. Understanding these determinants is crucial because they help healthcare professionals and researchers identify the root causes behind health disparities and outcomes, thereby allowing for targeted interventions and policies to improve public health.

In contrast, clinical indicators, quality metrics, and performance measures are more specific terms that refer to tools or guidelines used to assess and evaluate healthcare processes or outcomes rather than the broad variables influencing health. Clinical indicators are often used to gauge the quality of medical care delivered, while quality metrics focus on measuring aspects of healthcare quality. Performance measures are more about evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of health services. While all these terms are important in the context of healthcare evaluation, they do not capture the overarching variables that play a role in determining health outcomes like determinants of health do.