The EU Public Health Programme work plan 2005 identifies the development of an urban health indicator system as an essential part of a comprehensive and integrated EU health information and knowledge system. This was already set out in the Strategy on European Community Health Indicators (ECHI), known as the "short list" (July 2004).
Based on the experience of earlier EU-funded health monitoring projects, such as the ISARE I, II and III projects (regional health indicators), Megapoles and Urban Audit programme, which involved a wide range of member states, the project EURO-URHIS (European system of urban health indicators) was selected for funding in 2005. This project will address current priority policies, ensuring their synergy and reducing duplication. Through the active involvement of national authorities and experts, the project will contribute to the development of a sustainable urban health information and knowledge system. A team of experts in this field will implement the work.
See European System of Urban Health Indicators
See Improving Health in European Urban Areas: The Role of Urban Health Indicators' Conference, June 2008
The urban health information system will support policy-making, identify and prioritise urban health problems on the basis of evidence and enable the monitoring of the effects of actions taken to address them. In addition, it will enhance timely access to information, facilitate communication with the public and contribute to building advocacy, communication and education strategies. Finally, by using a standardized methodology for data collection, processing and dissemination, transnational comparisons and time trend analyses will become feasible.
The project will develop a definition of urban areas and populations across all Member States taking into account accepted classifications, e.g. EUROSTAT NUTS (Nomenclature des unités territoriales statistiques) and LAU (Local Administrative Units) identifying the most appropriate administrative level for the purpose of health information exchange between urban areas.
The project will include a literature review and appraisal of published literature (including 'grey' literature) on the health of urban populations and related indicators. The review will also help to identify appropriate data sources and data categories (from the ECHI list) necessary for building urban health indicators at the relevant level.
The project aims to develop a comprehensive urban health information and knowledge system to:
1. Help identify and prioritise urban health problems
2. Enable the monitoring of the effects of actions taken to address them
3. Ensure timely access to information
4. Contribute to building advocacy, communication and education strategies
5. Use standardized methodology for data collection, processing and dissemination, allowing transnational comparisons and time trend analysis
This project will consider the results of previous EU-funded projects on health information systems, in particular the Regional Health Indicators system ( ISARE) and ECHI projects.
It will also take into account the experience and knowledge gained from the Healthy Cities programme, the Urban Audit programme (DG REGIO) and the Megapoles project.