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. 2017 Jan-Dec;10(sup1):1266180.
doi: 10.3402/gha.v9.32298.

In the eye of the beholder: to make global health estimates useful, make them more socially robust

Elizabeth Pisani  1 , Maarten Kok  2   3
Affiliations

In the eye of the beholder: to make global health estimates useful, make them more socially robust

Elizabeth Pisani et al. Glob Health Action. 2017 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

A plethora of new development goals and funding institutions have greatly increased the demand for internationally comparable health estimates in recent years, and have brought important new players into the field of health estimate production. These changes have rekindled debates about the validity and legitimacy of global health estimates. This paper draws on country case studies and personal experience to support our opinion that the production and use of estimates are deeply embedded in specific social, economic, political and ideational contexts, which differ at different levels of the global health architecture. Broadly, most global health estimates tend to be made far from the local contexts in which the data upon which they are based are collected, and where the results of estimation processes must ultimately be used if they are to make a difference to the health of individuals. Internationally standardised indicators are necessary, but they are no substitute for data that meet local needs, and that fit with local ideas of what is credible and useful. In other words, data that are both technically and socially robust for those who make key decisions about health. We suggest that greater engagement of local actors (and local data) in the formulation, communication and interpretation of health estimates would increase the likelihood that these data will be used by those most able to translate them into health gains for the longer term. Besides strengthening national information systems, this requires ongoing interaction, building trust and establishing a communicative infrastructure. Local capacities to use knowledge to improve health must be supported.

Keywords: Bringing the indicators home: Country perspective on the utility of global 40 estimates for health indicators (WHO); Political economy; monitoring and evaluation; sustainable development goals; world health organization.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Perceived utility and credibility of health data and estimates to various users, by institutional level at which data are produced.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
A graphic representation of the robustness of knowledge.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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MeSH terms

Grants and funding

Elizabeth Pisani received consultancy fees from the World Health Organization to cover participation in a meeting about the utility of global health estimates held in Glion, Switzerland, in July 2015. Maarten Kok declares no conflict of interest.

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