[Identifying population needs: methods of analysis and stratification]

. Identifying population needs: methods of analysis and stratification. In this article, examples of population stratification models used at the national level to identify different levels of needs and interventions are reported. Most models are based primarily on health data, diseases, clinical complexity, use of health services, hospitalizations, emergency room access, pharmaceutical prescriptions, and exemption codes. The limitations of these models relate to the availability and integration of data, as well as generalizability in different contexts. Moreover, to address the difficulty of implementing effective local interventions, the co-production or integration of social and health services is strongly suggested. Some survey techniques are presented to detect the needs, expectations, and resources of specific communities or populations.