The National Health Survey: Accumulated experience and a proposal for the Brazilian Health Survey

Abstract

The information from secondary data sources of existing health information systems are fundamental but insufficient to answer to the current needs of management in the Brazilian Health System (SUS) to identify problems and health needs of the population of Brazil. The population surveys are instruments used as subsidies for formulating and evaluating public policy, its use is increasing in several countries as a support tool in planning health. The paper makes a short revision of survey initiatives in International scope and in Brazil, it proposes a schedule for the realization of the National Health Survey.