The International Poverty and Health Network (IPHN) was created in December 1997, following a series of conferences organised by the World Health Organization with the aim of integrating health into plans to eradicate poverty. The network's formation was a response to the evidence of the persistent and growing burden of human suffering due to poverty. We invite others to join the endeavour.

Summary

Objectives: This paper reports on a comparative evaluation of indicators that are in use, or proposed for use, by leading international organizations to assess their adequacy for the purpose of monitoring key issues related to gender, equity and health.

Methods: A comprehensive health information framework was developed on a generic framework by the ISO (2001) to use for the analysis of gender equity within mainstream health systems. A sample of 1 095 indicators used by key international organizations were mapped to this framework and assessed for technical quality and gender sensitivity.

Results: The evaluation found deficiencies in the indicators currently in use, from the viewpoint of both technical quality and underlying conceptual bases, as well as in their coverage of the framework, and especially in relation to health system performance.

Conclusions: Routine administrative reporting offered large numbers of indicators but these did not allow for monitoring of gender equity and health. The paper concludes that there is merit in developing a core set of leading indicators that can be used for comparisons across peer countries and communities.

There has been a substantial decline in mortality in Australia during the 20th century, with a major improvement in life expectancy. There has been a broad health transition, from a pattern of high mortality from infectious diseases to one of lower overall mortality from non-communicable diseases and injury. From 1951, trends in death rates from major causes were evident, with the rise and partial fall of two epidemics (coronary heart disease and stroke, and lung cancer). This overall picture masks significant inequalities in health for Indigenous people and the socioeconomically disadvantaged.