| Civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) |
Some data are available. |
Coverage and completeness need strengthening to improve the validity, reliability, and comparability of these data. |
The Brisbane Accord Group (BAG) has a comprehensive and coordinated plan for strengthening mortality information in Pacific Island countries and territories. |
| Routinely collected information on the incidence of disease |
Most countries have complex facility registers, reporting forms, and medical record rooms. |
Improvement is needed to ensure better consistency in data collection, definitions, and diagnosis. Data are often not collated, analyzed, interpreted, and reported on. |
Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network (PPHSN) regional partners are undertaking data for decision-making (DDM) training in the Pacific. The Pacific Health Information Network is also working to strengthen country health information systems. |
| Prevalence of chronic diseases and risk factors (eg, low back pain, depression) |
Surveys that are routinely conducted in the Pacific include WHO STEPwise Approach to Surveillance and the Demographic and Health Survey. They provide some chronic disease prevalence data such as prevalence of diabetes and noncommunicable disease risk factors. |
Key conditions such as low back pain, depression, anxiety, and neck pain are not included in these surveys. |
These surveys need to continue to gather important information on chronic diseases and risk factors. Standardised questions exist for measuring the prevalence of many chronic diseases (eg, low back pain, depression) in population surveys. Surveys such as WHO-STEPs and the Demographic and Health Survey provide opportunities for collecting these data without burdening communities with additional surveys. |
| Data analysis and usage skills in Pacific Island countries and territories need strengthening to ensure that the data that gets collected gets used |
Not applicable. |
Not applicable. |
PPHSN regional partners are undertaking DDM training in Pacific Island countries and territories. In addition, BAG is conducting training to improve analysis of CRVS data. |
