Health

Health is a high priority for Europeans, who expect to have a long and healthy life, to be protected against illnesses and accidents and to receive appropriate health care. Accurate and detailed statistics on health have a key role for evidence based decisions by national and European authorities and are a major tool for monitoring health policies.

Health statistics include:

• Public health issues such as health status, health problems and health determinants, health care provision and resources, health care expenditures and causes of death
• Health and safety at work issues such as accidents at work and work related health problems

The European Commission's current strategy 'Together for Health: A Strategic Approach for the EU 2008-2013' aims to improve citizens' prosperity, solidarity and security by:

• Improving citizens’ health security
• Promoting health to improve prosperity and solidarity
• Producing and distributing health knowledge

Competence for the organisation and delivery of health services and healthcare is largely held by the Member States, although the EU has the responsibility to give added value through launching actions such as those in relation to cross-border health threats and patient mobility, as well as reducing health inequalities and addressing key health determinants.


The European Commission's current strategy "Improving quality and productivity at work: the Community strategy 2007-2012 on health and safety at work" aims to achieve a sustained reduction of occupational accidents and diseases in the EU through various EU and national actions.


In December 2008 the European Parliament and the Council adopted a framework Regulation for statistics concerning public health and health and safety at work. That regulation is addressing five domains: Health care, health status and health determinants, accidents at work, occupational diseases and other work-related health problems and causes of death.

Both the Community action Programme on Public Health and the Community strategy on health and safety at work 2007-2012 as well as the Community Statistical Programme 2008-12 foresee the implementation of that Regulation as a key statistical element of a sustainable health monitoring system.