8.1.4. Future developments

EUROSTAT launched in 2006 a project, with the aim to develop a survey module on Disability and Social Integration (EDSIM). This module is being designed as a free-standing module that could be included to provide health information in non-health surveys such as a Labour Force Survey as well as to be a core additional component of a European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) and so should be complementary to the other modules already prepared.

An English version of the EDSIM module has been prepared and screened with cognitive testing. A first discussion with all MS on this module has been held in 2007 in Dublin at a European meeting on Disability statistics. The EDSIM module, translated in Italian and Lithuanian, is being pilot tested in Italy, Lithuania and United Kingdom. A larger translation and testing is also planned.

On the basis of the results of the testing phase, a decision will then be made (by the Technical Group HIS and by the EUROSTAT Working Group on Public Health statistics) regarding the full implementation of the EDSIM module within the context of the EHSS (European Health Survey System).