Monitor the health status of the Belgian population
In order to support the public health authorities, we monitor the health status of the Belgian population by collecting and processing various health-related information.
We progressively set up and develop a large panel of indicators. We collect data in published reports, produce new results from databases and interpret the data by comparing them with international health targets and in the light of time trends. We develop and maintain a website to facilitate access to these information.
We initiate or participate in several Belgian and European projects in the field of health indicators (set up of indicator panels and development of new methodologies for data collection, for instance). We are the sole point of contact for international organisations (such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) or the statistical office of the European Union (Eurostat)), to whom we transmit health data related to the population in Belgium.
We also develop expertise in summary measures of the population health.
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Our team has multiple tasks. Among others, we:
- monitor the health status of the Belgian population
- produce useful information and transfer them to the competent health authorities
- participate actively in national and international projects related to health indicators
At an international level, we are responsible for the collection, validation and dissemination of health indicator data to supranational institutions, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) or the statistical office of the European Union (Eurostat). We coordinate these tasks, in collaboration with the FPS Public Health, Food chain safety and Environment and the FPS Social Affairs, among others.
We are in charge of the analysis of various health indicators, such as potential years of life lost, healthy life expectancy and health-related quality of life. We evaluate the results in the light of existing health policies targets and formulate recommendations, such as suggestions for improvement, possible alternative, comparisons with policies abroad.
We participate in the monitoring of the performance indicators of the Belgian health system. We also work to improve the monitoring tool and the quality of the collected, analysed and interpreted data.
Finally, we are responsible for the development and coordination of a national study whose goal is to assess the ‘burden of disease’ in Belgium. This project will result in a coherent and comprehensive framework for the routine quantification of the burden of disease in Belgium, based on the Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) indicator.