The public health uses of the Scottish Community Health Index (CHI)

Abstract

Each of the 15 Health Boards in Scotland maintains a computer file of its residents who are registered with ageneral practitioner; this is known as the Community Health Index or CHI. The CHI allows a variety of demographic data and indicators of health to be analysed on either a geographic or general practice base, or both simultaneously. The considerable potential of the CHI as a public health tool may be of interest to health authorities outside Scotland which are developing wider uses for their own family practitioner registers.