Health status indicators are a set of surveillance data that are analyzed in order to provide an estimate of the health status of the population, which is necessary to properly identify public health priorities and actions.

The selection of indicators should be primarily based on existing and comparable data sets for which regular monitoring is feasible, but it should take into consideration likely future data needs and developments in diagnostic procedures and treatment as well. Indicators should be comprehensive, valid (sensitive), standardized, meet quality criteria, and be flexible (never fixed and final) to support evolving health policies.

On the basis of the suggestions deriving from ECHI project, indicators are subdivided into the following categories:

• health status indicators: provide information on mortality, morbidity and disability
• determinants of health: refer to biological risk factors, health behaviours and lifestyle
• health service indicators: allow for a comparison of surgical procedures, medication use, use of health services.