Health outcome measurement is an evolving science. In light of limited resources and a greater demand for accountability and system performance, health indicator development is a national public health system priority. Extensive work is ongoing nationally through the Centers for Disease Control, public health academia, and national health related organizations attempting to more clearly define core and issue specific community health indicators and corresponding outcomes. The Bergen County Health Status Report incorporates references to this work and existing standard guidelines, notably Healthy People 2000, Model Standards, and Healthy New Jersey 2000 . The indicators presented are aligned to health status data, health needs priorities, and health system information.
Selected indicators define desired outcomes.
Indicators were selected that would track progress toward the achievement of health goals. Criteria for selecting indicators include, but are not limited to, considerations addressing relevance, comparability, availability, cost and utility. The selection of specific indicators has substantial impact on the focus of measurement, decisions on new and continuing surveillance efforts, and appropriate epidemiological research. The choice to include a comprehensive range of indicators in this report rather than a more selective list is purposeful. The data as well as the indicators are valuable references for discussion, consensus building and planning.