Riedmann K (2000): Die historische Entwicklung der Gesundheitsberichterstattung in Deutschland unter besonderer Berücksichtigung nutzerorientierter Aspekte. [The historical development of health reporting in Germany]
Bundesgesundhbl. - Gesundheitsforsch. - Gesundheitsschutz 43: 594-599.

Health reporting did not originate at the end of the just bygone century. Although examples of health reports from the longer past are not up to the required standards of a modern health reporting system, a look at the long development from the beginnings up to the publishing of the first Health Report for Germany can be rewarding. The foundation of the German Empire in 1871 was also the beginning of a very lively activity of publishing health related material, culminating in the first "Health Report for the German Empire" in 1907. All publications were orientated to different target groups and adapted to the needs of their readership. The abuse and perversion of the health system during the Third Reich lead to a deep break and thus prevented a revival of health reporting in the Federal Republic of Germany. It was only in the eighties of the 20th century that modern health reporting, demanded for a long time, has been revived successfully. Numerous reports on different levels of political administration and with various focal points are the visible signs of this success. The temporary peak of this development had been reached in 1998 with the publication of the first Health Report for Germany by the Federal Office of Statistics. The Robert Koch-Institute, being responsible for the continuation of the Report, will - as exemplified by the Imperial Health Office - take the readers' needs into account to optimize the products of the Federal Health Reporting System.