Proxies for healthcare need among populations: validation of alternatives--a study in Quebec.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the use of a non-mortality based proxy for relative needs for healthcare among regional populations with a mortality based proxy for population relative needs and to evaluate the additional value of a proxy based on a combination of non-mortality and mortality based proxies. DESIGN: Analysis of cross sectional data on mortality, socioeconomic status, and self assessments of health taken from registrar general …