A major part of the Health Analysis, Metrics and Evidence unit's work is the production of evidence to support institutional decisions on a wide scope of health issues, orient technical cooperation to countries, and document the health situation in the Region. The unit also provides cooperation to member states in strengthening their analytical capacity, by developing and providing methodological and technological instruments to support Health Situation Analysis.
For further information about PAHO's activities in health situation analysis, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Generate evidence
Generating evidence in health is a process that involves the collection of morbidity and mortality data, the analysis of those data, and the dissemination of the information generated through the analysis. This is a useful input for decision-making in health. In many cases, the evidence originates in the results of research based on different types of designs used in the health field, including population studies.
The Health Information and Analysis unit is in charge of the development and maintenance of information systems for mortality and core health data for countries of the Americas. The mortality database maintained by PAHO, known as the Regional Mortality Information System, is a major source of data for analysis of mortality situation and trends.
| Data sources | Prevention and control of non-communicable diseases | Prevention and control of communicable diseases | External causes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAHO's mortality database | Mortality/morbidity | Mortality/morbidity | Mortality/morbidity |
| Other sources of data |
Additional documents:
Non Communicable Diseases in the Americas, Basic Indicators 2011 (PAHO)
For further information about PAHO's activities in health situation analysis, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Manuals and training materials
The need for training health personnel in epidemiology and health situation analysis is a constant in the Region of the Americas. To respond to this need, PAHO develops methods and guidelines for health situation analysis and offers training opportunities. Jointly with PAHO country Representations, the Health Information and Analysis Unit offers a workshop on basic epidemiology for personnel at the local level in Spanish, Portuguese, and French (MOPECE). An online certificate program in Spanish is also available through PAHO and the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.
| Training modules and courses | |
|---|---|
| MOPECE training modules | The MOPECE training modules are a training instrument in basic epidemiology for local health professionals to promote the use of epidemiology in the management of health services. |
| Virtual Public Health Campus | The Virtual Campus of Public Health is a network where people and institutions can share educational resources and services to improve public health skills and practice through the development and innovative use of information and communication technologies. |
| EPIDAT | Epidat is a nonprofit project of the Xunta de Galicia and the Pan American Health Organizationto develop and disseminate of a freeware program for statistical and epidemiological data analysis. |
| World Bank Courses | Through the World Bank Institute, the World Bank grants access to the latest global knowledge, using innovative ways to solve development challenges. It offers courses in English related health services including the essential functions of public health. |
| North Carolina University (The basic science of public health) |
This course explores public health issues like cardiovascular and infectious diseases - both locally and globally -through the lens of epidemiology. Topic areas we will cover include the following: overview and history of epidemiology and public health and the population perspective, Measures of disease occurrence (incidence and prevalence), Study designs and measures of association, and Basic introduction to causal inference |
| University of Michigan (Measuring health disparities) |
Measuring health inequalities (Measuring Health Disparities) is an interactive course, which can be downloaded online for free, and allows basic training and an approach to measures of health inequalities. |
| Certificate program in Epidemiology in Spanish (PAHO-Johns Hopkins University) |
|
Books
- Indicadores básicos para la salud en Brasil: conceptos y aplicaciones (only in Spanish and Portuguese)
For further information about PAHO's activities in health situation analysis, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Measuring impact
The 2014-2019 Strategic Plan approved by PAHO/WHO member states seeks to measure the impact of country's actions on health through evaluation of
- Improvements in health and wellbeing,
- Elimination or eradication of diseases, and
- Decrease in morbidity, mortality and gaps in health.
In agreement with PAHO/WHO's Member States, 9 targets and 26 indicators were chosen that reflect the different strategic dimensions of PAHO's work and are organized along the three axes of the 2014-2019 strategic plan.