In 1993 three institutes belonging respectively to the Heidelberg Academy for Humanities and Sciences, to the Russian Academy of Sciences, and to the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, launched a cooperative research project. The main aim of the project is to develop mathematical methodologies needed for better information support in health policy decision-making in the area of primary health care provision for the Russian populations affected by radiation due to the Chernobyl accident. At present, the major data basis of the project is the Russian National medical and Dosimetric (Chernobyl) Registry administered at the Medical Radiological Research Centre, Obninsk. The book describes the general mathematical approaches to the project and the given conditions of the registry.

CINDI is an European intervention programme against major noncommunicable diseases (NCD). 12 European countries, Canada, and Israel are participating in the programme which is coordinated by the World Health Organization. The book discribes the baseline situation in the countries prior to the start of the programme. Trends in the premature mortality of some major NCDsare given as well as the prevalence of risk factors for NCDs in the population (high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, overweight, smoking). The results presented stress the necessity of a country- wide integrated approach: NCDs account for two third of premature deaths in the CINDI countries and around 70% of the adult population are at risk for NCDs.