A SLOW DEATH OR ETERNAL LIFE - FUTURE-DIRECTIONS FOR ANNUAL PUBLIC-HEALTH REPORTS

Several years after their reintroduction, district public health repor ts continue to face questions about purpose, content and evaluation. A s public health embraces the wider vision of the World Health Organisa tion's 'Health for All' strategy, and the consequent need for collabor ation with other sectors and participation with communities, there is a need for the reports to respond accordingly. This theme is explored in relation to the needs of the report's diverse audience, the type of local research required to make the report relevant and effective, an d approaches to evaluation. A growing local research function has reso urce and training implications for Departments of Public Health. The d emands of producing a report every year suggest that biennial publicat ion of the main report, with other targeted products over the interven ing period, would be a more realistic and effective option.