INTEREST OF THE PROBLEM: The objective of this study is to highlight the gaps from a consideration of the essential indicators in the national system of sanitary information of Ivory Coast. Modalities of their applicability in the surveillance of the oral health are also discussed.
Position of the problem: The use of the essential indicators answers the necessity of setting up a system of surveillance of the common factors of risk based on standardized information which will allow comparisons between countries. However, the applicability of these indicators is not enough known and the quantitative measure to test their reliability and their validity was not realized yet to allow their easy consideration in global Infobase.
Method: This study is based on the documentary analysis of the catalogue on selection of the essential indicators, and the database of the national program of oral health.
Results: Twenty-two essential indicators are applicable in the national information system. In particular, ten indicators are easily applicable without technical difficulties and twelve are averagely applicable.
Conclusion: The essential indicators are pertinent for the surveillance of the oral health in Côte d'Ivoire. However, future researches are necessary to test their validity in the national information system. Also, similar pilot studies could be realized in the other African contexts to establish an operational and standardized frame to collect relevant and valid information.