Four methods for assessing priorities of health problems were used in a 15-county Appalachian region. Despite overall similarities the tendency is for providers to focus on categorical disease problems while consumers focus more on organization and financing problems. Only one of the methods described, community diagnosis, uses objective data; thus, the health professional must assume an educational role and help consumers use and interpret data. Prioritization of health problems allows for more appropriate use of limited resources.
Dr. Scutchfield is at the College of Community Health Sciences, University of Alabama, University, Alabama 35486. He was formerly Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, University of Kentucky. Gratitude is expressed to James Conn, Gary Leslie, Dan Dailey, and Collin Hyde for their assistance in the data collection for this project.