Data and evidence
Data and evidence
Health data – indicators and statistics – are essential for monitoring the situation and trends in health, and can help in evaluating the impact of public health policies and programmes. Nevertheless, health data need to be assessed, synthesized and combined with research findings to generate evidence to inform policy choices. Policy-makers need trustworthy, up-to-date health information. WHO/Europe provides this by:
- working with international partners to ensure the standardization, international comparability and quality of health data;
- working with a network of health agencies dealing with health information and evidence; and
- actively compiling, disseminating and granting easy access to both health data and research evidence.
WHO/Europe’s databases are its main repository of health statistics. This key resource provides authoritative health data on the 53 countries in the WHO European Region. This enables comparative analyses of the health situation and trends in the Region, and surveillance of disease and monitoring of trends in policy areas, including key determinants of health (such as alcohol, tobacco and nutrition).
The Health Evidence Network (HEN) is a service for public health and health care decision-makers in the Region. HEN promotes the better use of evidence in health policy-making by providing easy access to that available on public health and health system questions. It synthesizes the evidence and publishes it in various forms, and gives access to other resources and agencies working for evidence-informed health policy.
The European Environment and Health Information System (ENHIS) provides comparable data and information on priority issues, to support assessments of the impact of environmental hazards on human health. It is designed to help policy-makers ascertain the links between environmental conditions and public health when planning interventions or policies.
See also
- Joint meeting of experts on targets and indicators for health and well-being in Health 2020
WHO/Europe, 2013 - Greater focus needed on research on disease prevention
10-05-2013 - New WHO report reveals unequal improvements in health in Europe and calls for measurement of well-being as marker of progress
13-03-2013 - How good is our information on health and well-being?
08-03-2013 - European mortality database updated
11-02-2013 - Updated: interactive atlases of health inequalities
24-01-2013 - RIVM and WHO/Europe to collaborate on health information provision
07-11-2012 - EVIPNet: putting evidence into policy
EVIPNet brings together stakeholders from many sectors to define policy questions, develop policy briefs and create ways to translate evidence into policy. - Update of WHO Europe statistical databases
31-08-2012 - Update of WHO/Europe statistical databases
10-02-2012 - Detailed mortality database updated
31-01-2012 - WHO/Europe launches new online laboratory reporting system
09-03-2011 - WHO/Europe influenza surveillance (EuroFlu.org)
- Rapid assessment tool (Russian)
WHO/Europe, 2012: Improving the quality and use of birth, death and cause-of-death information. Guidance for a standards-based review of country practices.
