[59 important health problems; a selection of diseases for public health monitoring].

Listing the top diseases is important for an overview of population health. These lists reduce the thousands of diseases to a compact selection that enables policy makers and researchers to set priorities in public health and health care. The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment uses such a selection for the Public Health Status and Forecast, a four-yearly overview of population health. This document forms the basis of the policy report on public health policy of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. The previous selection is 20 years old. The new selection not only reflects changing disease patterns, but also changing public discussions. The selection is still based on mortality and morbidity, but also on costs and participation in society, two subjects that are high on the public agenda.