title: Data needs for health policy in an aging population (including a survey of data available in the United States of America).
abstract: The development of a coordinated, systematic and responsive data base is essential for governments to make informed decisions for policy development and planning, to assess the impact of these decisions, and to operate their programmes effectively. One of the most significant challenges is the development of data systems capable of satisfying the multiple needs for data, and providing the data required for evaluating the impact of health programmes, while keeping the respondent burden reasonable. The United States of America is fortunate in having well-developed systems of data collection by national surveys for demographic, social and economic characteristics of the population, morbidity and mortality, health expenditures, and use of health and long-term care services. Current survey and administrative record data sets are described. Policy issues in health care for aging populations require the use of multiple data sets which may require modification of or addition to existing surveys and administrative records. Recommendations are made for an extension of the data bases already in existence and on the expansion of analytical capacity to address health policy issues for the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health and Aging, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Rice
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006291:Health Policy; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D009026:Mortality; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012179:Retirement; D014481:United States