Descrizione degli Indicatori e Fonti dei dati

[Autom. eng. transl.] The demographic situation, the state of health and the organization of health care have been analyzed through the use of a series of quantitative indicators, defined as those characteristics, of an individual, of a population or of an environment, which can be measured and which are closely associated with the phenomenon of interest, which is not directly measurable. An indicator serves to describe briefly, directly or roughly, a phenomenon and to measure its variations over time and between different realities. A measure (for example the mortality rate) is an indicator of a given phenomenon (for example the state of health) when it is able to change as the aspects of the phenomenon change (if the state of health worsens, mortality increases) A measure, or a set of measures, constitute an indicator after its reliability has been assessed, that is, the ability to measure the real changes of the phenomenon of interest in a reproducible way. In order to use indicators whose reliability has been ascertained and to make comparisons between the Italian reality and that of other countries possible, the indicators used in this Health Observation Report have been chosen from those listed in the European Community Health Indicators project (ECHI ); to these were added indicators built for some specific aspects not covered in the project. The indicators were defined on the basis of the phenomena that were wanted to be measured and taking into account the availability of reliable data of acceptable quality for all the territorial areas considered. In the individual Chapters, a sheet has been prepared for each indicator, which indicates, in addition to the calculation method, the meaning and limits of the indicator itself.