[Brescia Local Health Autority Population Database: a method based on current data for monitoring chronic diseases and management].
OBJECTIVE
The Local Health Autority (ASL) of Brescia has activated an innovative method of surveillance, based on the integration ofcurrent databases in a single database, Population Database (BDA), for monitoring the prevalence of chronic diseases in the area.


METHODS
The BDA has been set up using automatic record-linkages of databases regarding disease exemptions, drug treatments, hospital admissions and outpatient specialist visits. This enabled us to calculate the prevalence of various chronic diseases (single or grouped) and the gross average expenditure per person for each disease group.


RESULTS
Out of the 1,092,201 people in the Brescia ASL, 275,601 had at least one chronic disease (prevalence 252.3/1,000). Diseases ofthe circulatory system were the most frequent (169.1/1,000), followed by diabetes mellitus (36 6/1,000). Having had an organ transplant was the condition with the highest per-person expenditure (Euro 16,170/year). The highest total expenditure was associated with circulatory diseases, because of the high prevalence (Euro 470,377,413).


CONCLUSIONS
A single computerised data base is capable of achieving epidemiological aims (assessing population health status) as well as managerial and health care aims (resources management, control of the appropriateness of services, adaptation of diagnostic-therapeutic methods to international guidelines and standards).
Lonati
Fulvio
F
Dipartimento cure primarie, ASL Brescia.
Scarcella
Carmelo
C
Indelicato
Annamaria
A
Brioschi
Alessia
A
Magoni
Michele
M
Medea
Gerardo
G
Saleri
Nada
N
Orizio
Grazia
G
Donato
Francesco
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008875:Middle Aged