Health reporting is " ... a system of different products and measures aiming at creating knowledge and awareness of important Public Health problems and their determinants (in different population groups) among policy makers and others involved in organisations that can influence the health of a population." (Måns Rosén, 1998).

The European Commission is launching public health reporting projects under the Health Information strand of the Community Action for Public Health (2003-2008) and this activity will be continued intensively under the new Public Health Programme 2007-2013. The reports deal with topical public health issues that provide the basis for further policy developments. The aim of launching the reports is to bring together top European scientists and officials dealing with public health and statistics from all EU countries to contribute together to the creation of the European Health Information and Knowledge system. Reports will be published both electronically - the European Public Health Report Series - and in a high-quality printed format.

In recent years the provision of health information to different users throughout the European Union has changed rapidly. A great deal of effort has been put into the compilation of data, the development of indicators and new technologies for the analysis and presentation of health data and the evaluation of the effectiveness of health reporting. However, health reporting is a public health issue that is discussed widely amongst health professionals as authors of local, regional and national health reports. The questions raised deal with the impact of both health reports and whole health reporting systems.

Purposes of health status reporting

The objective of the EU Public Health Programme is to provide Member States with appropriate health information in order to make comparisons and to support their national health policies. The provision of information about the health of a population is a prerequisite for the effective performance of the health development policy cycle. The implementation of actions and programmes, the formulation of new policies and the development of new strategies requires an information system which is clearly aimed at decision makers at every level of a health system, i.e. politicians, policy- makers, managers, health care providers and medical staff. In this respect, health reporting has the task of contributing to " evidence-based health policy" (Stein 2001).

For a growing number of Member States, health status analysis and reporting has become an important instrument to support national health policy cycles. Health status reporting in the European Union does not yet fulfil this purpose. Basically, such health reporting should support the preparation, planning, implementation and evaluation of health policy, i.e. of programmes and actions at Community level and at Member State level. General health policy questions deal with priority setting for health policy and with the past and possible future effects of policy actions and programmes. In addition, effective health status reporting can lead to the identification of health data needs and health research priorities. Health status reporting activities can, if undertaken effectively, contribute significantly to the expanding mission of the Community in the public health sector. Some examples of the aims of health reporting are:

• define common public health objectives, priorities and strategies
• focus and co-ordinate the compilation, analysis and evaluation of health information
• foster the mutual exchange of health information, expertise and experience
• create networks for information and consultation in the area of health information
• contribute to making data collection mechanisms more comparable
• improve health information systems and disease monitoring and surveillance activities

EU Health reports under the Community Public Health Programme

Reports produced using data collected by the Eurobarometer survey

European communicable diseases reports

Health statistical reports

Other EU Health-related reports (environment, sustainable development, drugs, food safety)

Health reporting systems at national level