[Epidemiology and health services]
The growing application of epidemiological investigation to the health and medical field has consolidated its various uses in health care services. Brazilian legislation now provides back-up for four different types of applications, although their implementation is still precarious: analysis of the health situation, epidemiological surveillance, etiological studies, and evaluation of health care services, programs, and technologies. Proper deployment of such epidemiological applications on both the political/institutional and operational levels will provide relevant subsidies for health services in conducting their activities.
Goldbaum
M
Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 01246-903.