Use existing data sources and collections
The AIHW recommends prioritising the use and optimisation of existing data collections to make best use of available information and minimise reporting burden on health care providers and services. Using existing data sources provides a timely and cost-effective way to strengthen sexual and reproductive health reporting. Enhanced analysis can generate new insights into health outcomes, experiences and care pathways that are not available through routine reporting alone, while improved disaggregation can support better understanding of priority populations and health inequities, where feasible.
The existing data sources to focus on initially for analysis and reporting are listed in the section ‘Potential data sources’. However, these collections were not necessarily designed to meet sexual and reproductive health information needs. They may lack key data items, have gaps in coverage, or provide only limited information on experiences of care and priority populations. Existing data should therefore be used alongside other data sources and, where needed, further developed (as outlined in the next strategy) or complemented by new data collections.