Health Information

1. Health Information “a mechanism for the collection, processing, analysis and transmission of information required for organizing and operating health services, and also for research & training”

2. Data – Discrete observations of attributes or events that carry little meaning when considered alone • Information – It is data which is reduced, summarized & adjusted for variations such as the age & sex of population so that comparison over time & place are possible • Intelligence – Produced when information is transformed through integration & processing with experience & perceptions based on social & political values

3. Components of a health Information System • Demography & vital events • Environmental health statistics • Health status – mortality, morbidity, disability & quality of life • Health resources – facilities, beds, manpower • Utilization & non utilization of health services – attendance, admissions • Indices of outcome of medical care • Financial statistics related to particular objective

4. Use of health information • Measure health status & quantify health problems & needs • Local, national & international comparisons • Planning, administration and management • Asses effectiveness & efficiency of health services • For research

5. Sources of health information

6. 1,210,569,573

7. 1. Census “ Total process of collecting, compiling & publishing demographic, economic & social data pertaining at a specified time, to all persons in a country or delimited territory”

8. 2. Registration of vital events • Keeps a continuous check on vital events • Central birth & death registration act, 1969 • Time limit for registration of birth & death

9. 3.Sample registration system (SRS) • Dual record system, consisting of continuous enumeration of births & deaths by an enumerator & an independent survey every 6 months by an investigator – supervisor • Covers the entire country, more reliable

10. 4. Notification of diseases • International Health Regulations (IHR) – Cholera, Plague, Yellow fever etc • Can identify outbreak • Even extended to NCDs Drawbacks : • Covers only a small part of total sickness in community • Under reporting • Atypical & subclinical cases • Lack of facilities for diagnosis in rural areas

11. 5. Hospital records 6. Disease registers • Cases can be followed up • Frequency, duration, CFR, survival 7. Record linkage • Birth, immunization, marriage, death, hospital admission & discharge • Twin studies, chronic disease, genetics etc 8. Epidemiological surveillance • Endemic diseases control & eradication programmes – malaria, TB, Leprosy

12. 9. Other health service records • Health centers, polyclinics, PP, diabetic & HTN clinics etc • Records usually kept for administrative purposes rather than for monitoring 10. Environmental health data • Pollution, industrial toxicants, harmful food additives • Can identify & quantify factors causing disease 11. Health manpower statistics

13. 12. Population surveys – health survey Types: • Survey to evaluate health status • Survey to investigate factors affecting health & disease • Surveys relating to administration of health services Survey methods: • Health interview (face to face) survey • Health examination survey • Health records survey • Mailed questionnaire survey

14. 13. Other routine statistics related to health • Demographic – population density, movement, education level • Economic – sales of drugs, per capita income • Social security schemes – medical insurance, sickness, absence & disability benefits rates 14. Non – quantifiable information Public attitudes, information on health policies & legislations, procedure, technology etc