Assuming that health statistics should be considered as an organized data system composed by vital statistics, administrative records, morbidity and mortality data, it is stressed the relevance in generating population based statistics on health status and use of health services as a compensation for the limitations of health services data that are based on users of the health system or vital statistics not always associated with social variables. Health surveys are the only way to generate health information to evaluate the health system performance and the monitoring of social inequalities in health and in the use of health services. It is pointed out some main issues concerning the use of health surveys by other countries and the methods employed to build a health statistics system as part of the health sector reform. Some of the possibilities and limitations of the Brazilian health information system are discussed as well.
Health information; Health surveys; Health statistics
