Combining risk factors and demographic surveillance: potentials of WHO STEPS and INDEPTH methodologies for assessing epidemiological transition

AIMS: Demographic surveillance systems (DSSs) create platforms to monitor population dynamics. This paper discusses the potential of combining the WHO STEPwise approach to Surveillance (STEPS) within ongoing DSSs, to assess changes in non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors. METHODS: Three DSSs in Ethiopia, Vietnam, and Indonesia have collected NCD risk factors using WHO STEPS, focusing on self-reported lifestyle risk factors (Step 1) and measurement of blood pressure and anthropometric parameters (Step 2). RESULTS: DSSs provide sampling frames for NCD risk factor surveillance, which reveals the distribution of risk factors and their dynamics at the population level. The WHO STEPS approach with its add-on modules is feasible and adaptable in DSS settings. Available mortality data in the DSSs enable mortality assessment by cause of death using verbal autopsy, which is relevant in estimating the impact of NCDs. DSSs as well as risk factor surveillance data may potentially be a lever for hypothesis-driven research to address specific a priori hypotheses or research questions. CONCLUSION: Combining DSSs with the WHO STEPS approach can potentially address basic epidemiological questions on NCDs, which can be used as a powerful advocacy tool in public health decision-making for NCD prevention.