This paper presents a short description of the development of measures for population health conditions, focusing on the recognition of periodic population surveys to provide new indicators. It also provides brief history of the development of population surveys, and points out some favorable conjunctures in Brazil for establishing a matrix of several types of surveys that could consistently integrate the Brazilian Health Information System. Several methodological issues related to the development of surveys are discussed, and the investments already made in the validation and evaluation of tools, scales, and sample design are stressed. Considering the existence of high concentration of wealth, health equality surveillance is emphasized as a central responsibility of nationwide surveys, which calls for the definition of variables and indicators. This paper highlights that research lines related to surveys and health inequality may establish significant spaces for the development of epidemiological theories and a more integral practice in the Collective Health arena.
Household interview surveys; Health status indicators; Health information system; Social inequalities in health
