In a week-long programme, researchers from the International Center for Equity in Health led a workshop with Secretariat of Health and Environmental Surveillance (SVSA) staff on methods to measure, visualise and communicate health inequalities

From August 10 to 14, the SVSA hosted researchers from the International Center for Equity in Health (ICEH) at the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel) in Brasília for an intensive course aimed at Ministry of Health staff. Made possible through a letter of agreement, the initiative sought to strengthen the analysis of epidemiological data, with a central focus on monitoring inequalities.

Letícia Cardoso, director of the Department of Epidemiological Analysis and Surveillance of Non-Communicable Diseases (DAENT/SVSA), highlighted the central role of this agenda in the management of Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS). “The SUS must promote equity. This topic was selected because we understand that a focus on inequalities should guide our prioritisation of actions and the implementation of public policies,” she said.

The course adopted an immersive approach, combining theoretical foundations with hands-on activities. According to ICEH professor and researcher Fernando Wehrmeister, the programme started with the fundamentals — social determinants of health and the conceptual foundations of inequality analysis — and moved on to central themes of the equity agenda, such as racial and gender inequalities. Throughout the week, participants worked with Vigitel datasets to apply the methods in practice, covering everything from simple and complex measures of inequality to analyses of trends over time.

The programme was led by a team of ICEH specialists: the Center’s director, Aluisio Barros, and researchers Janaína Calu Costa, Francine S. Costa, Luiza Eunice Sá da Silva, Leonardo Ferreira and Luis Paulo Vidaletti Ruas, who alternated between theoretical sessions and hands-on activities.

The course ultimately aimed to develop participants’ autonomy in conducting inequality analyses. On the final day, teams formed by SVSA staff used the knowledge they had acquired to produce and present equity profiles, developing tools that can be incorporated into their routine work in health management.