Understanding and Using Tuberculosis Data

Country health information systems provide a rich source of data on the burden of disease caused by tuberculosis (TB) and the effectiveness of programmatic efforts to reduce this burden, both of which are crucial for public health action. However, the available data are often underused, or not used at all. At least in part, this may reflect the absence of clear guidance on recommended approaches to the analysis of such data. This handbook is designed to address this gap through detailed practical examples of the analysis of TB surveillance data, in particular TB notification data, data from surveillance of anti-TB drug resistance, and mortality data compiled in national vital registration systems. It starts from the most basic kinds of analyses, and progresses to the description of more challenging topics such as the estimation of disease burden using multiple sources of evidence, including data from special surveys.

World Health Organization is a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, charged to act as the world's directing and coordinating authority on questions of human health. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries, and monitoring and assessing health trends.