Analysis, Interpretation, and Use of Complex Social and Behavioral Surveillance Data

Abstract

During the past 20 years the international public health community has increasingly recognised the importance of understanding chronic diseases and the risk factors associated with them. Although a plethora of social and behavioural data has been accumulated by economically advanced countries during these years, much of the information is neither fully analysed nor used. For example, most analyses have been limited to descriptive statistical reports. While these types of reports are valuable and useful, they clearly do not represent all possibilities for analysis, interpretation, and use of data.