Current status of EHES

Kari KuulasmaaEHES meeting

Luxembourg, 2 March 2011

2 March 2011 EHES meeting

Sources of population health information

• Registries• Can provide useful information on mortality

and morbidity

• Questionnaire surveys• Self-reported data on health, diseases, their

determinants and health-care use in the entire population

• Health examination surveys• Objective information on health, diseases

(diagnosed and undiagnosed) and their determinants in the population

2 March 2011 EHES meeting

History of HESs in Europe

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Finland

Sweden

Norway

Netherlands

West Germany

Germany

UK - England

UK - Scotland

Ireland

Poland

Denmark

RomaniaSpainCroatia

France

Czech Republic

Italy

2 March 2011 EHES meeting

European Health Examination Survey

(EHES)

• To provide info on health behaviour, health determinants, prevalence of diseases, met and unmet need for health services, functional limitations and nutritional status

• For planning and evaluation of health policies and health care, and for research

• Complementary to EHIS

2 March 2011 EHES meeting

Target population• Entire country• Permanent residents, including

institutionalized persons• Core age group: 25-64 years

• Can extend to 18+

• Sample size 4000 per country

2 March 2011 EHES meeting

Conclusions from feasibility study in 2008

• EHES is feasible• Jointly standardized national HESs

• Planned and conducted nationally• Primarily national funding

• Joint coordination and standardization• Funded by EU• Close collaboration with EU, WHO, OECD etc.

• Action should be taken urgently

2 March 2011 EHES meeting

European standardization

High quality of the

measurements

High quality of the

measurementsTraining of the

measurers

Standardized measurement

protocols

Quality control

Comparable results within

country between population groups

Comparable results

between countries

Reliable time trends

2 March 2011 EHES meeting

Setting up EHES

2010 2014201320122011

Funding from DG Sanco

2 March 2011 EHES meeting

EHES Reference Centre (EHES RC)

• Set up in August 2009 by:• National Institute for Health and Welfare

(THL), Finland• Istituto Superiore di Sanita (ISS), Italy• Statistics Norway (SSB)

• Funded by EU’s Health Programme through a Tender

2 March 2011 EHES meeting

Preparing for a HES in 13 countries

• Planning• Preparation• Fieldwork pilot• Support from a Joint Action of EU’s

Health Programme• All will be (technically) ready to start

a full-size HES by early 2012

2 March 2011 EHES meeting

Pilot countries

Finland

Germany

Netherlands

Poland

Czech Republic

Slovakia

Greece

Italy

MaltaSpain

Portugal

UK/England

Norway

2 March 2011 EHES meeting

Summary of activities in the first year

• European guidelines for planning a HES completed

• European fieldwork standards being finalized

• Two training seminars• Planning (23 countries)• Measurement procedures (16 countries)

• 4 full-size HESs ongoing• 5 others have completed pilot HES• 8 site visits conducted

2 March 2011 EHES meeting

2nd Training Seminar

2 March 2011 EHES meeting

To be completed within a year

• Testing of data transfer and reporting

• Evaluation of the pilot surveys• Manuals for all EEA countries• Seminar on national adaptations• Final seminar

2 March 2011 EHES meeting

Future of EHES

• The train is now moving – important to keep the momentum

• Possibly funding from FP7 for 2014-2018• To complete the 1st full round of EHES• Possibly 2nd round for the first countries

• Funding for 2012-2013 open

2 March 2011 EHES meeting

What can/should we do now

• Motivate countries to EHES• Objective of this meeting

• Keep EHES RC and the Commission aware of your national plans and position• This will facilitate realistic planning and

justification of funding in the Commission