 Epidemiology: tracking health problems before they appearWashington, DC, November 14, 2002 (PAHO) -- Epidemiologists are often called health detectives. Tracking health problems and describing current epidemiological trends in the hemisphere is part of the daily work of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
"Epidemiological polarization," in which disease patterns typical of poor living conditions coexist with chronic diseases more typical of developed societies and with high mortality from accidents and violence, magnifies the persistence of significant health gaps. PAHO's Special Program for Health Analysis is working to strengthen the epidemiological capacity of countries in the Americas to analyze, use, and disseminate information on the health situation and trends. The aim is to use this information to better plan, execute, and evaluate public health policies and programs. PAHO also provides technical cooperation to reorganize and operate epidemiological and statistical services to improve the production and effective use of health information and vital statistics. Due to the importance of information in monitoring public health, and the fact that health problems and diseases do not recognize borders, PAHO has placed special emphasis on the establishment and development of integrated health information networks. This includes development of basic health data systems in the countries and in PAHO's regional programs and county offices. PAHO prepares methods, guidelines, and standards for collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and information, especially to evaluate and monitor inequalities in health trends and the impact of the health interventions. As the public health surveillance leader in the Americas, PAHO's program coordinates national epidemiological surveillance systems with statistical information systems in the region. One of the specific products of this work is the selection of core health data on the health situation in the Americas, which responds to the need for specific information by country for use by national and international organizations, as well as students, researchers and health workers. These data are compiled through a technical information system prepared by the Special Program for Health Analysis in collaboration with various support and technical programs. The information is collected and prepared by the PAHO country representative offices as well as by other technical programs of the Organization. PAHO is also very active in professional education. It runs courses in epidemiological training in the region, working in association with prestigious universities and using state-of-the-art technology, to accelerate the practical application of academic knowledge and research to the public health programs. Forty PAHO professionals are registered in a joint initiative with PAHO and the Bloomberg School of Public Health of Johns Hopkins University, offering the PAHO training model to apply epidemiology to public health practice. Also, a summer session in intermediate epidemiology has been running for 12 years with the University of South Florida, training ministers of health, vice ministers, directors, public health managers, and field epidemiologists. "The association is advantageous both for PAHO and for the university," said Dr. Carlos Castillo-Salgado, chief of PAHO's Special Program for Health Analysis. "For PAHO the advantage is to have an effective way to offer the best possible training for our professional staff who provide technical cooperation to ministries of health of member countries, or who work in them. Johns Hopkins University sees this program as a pioneering project for professional training of managers and directors of international public health. It's also a great opportunity to include its faculty." PAHO, established in 1902, is the oldest health organization in the world. It works with all the countries of the Americas to improve the health and raise living standards, and also serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization. For more information, please contact: Daniel Epstein, Office of Public Information, (202) 974-3459, e-mail: epsteind@paho.org. Related Information: Back to PAHO Centennial Press/Media Center |
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The Pan American Health Organization Promoting Health in the Americas |
