WHO Updates Global Health Inequality Data Tools

The updates include the latest version of the WHO Health Inequality Data Repository (HIDR) and Version 7 of the Health Equity Assessment Toolkit (HEAT and HEAT Plus) software.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released updated versions of two major resources under its Health Inequality Monitor, expanding global access to health equity data and improving tools used to analyze disparities in health outcomes.

The updates include the latest version of the WHO Health Inequality Data Repository (HIDR) and Version 7 of the Health Equity Assessment Toolkit (HEAT and HEAT Plus) software.

Largest Global Health Inequality Database Expanded

The Health Inequality Data Repository—the world’s largest public database of health inequality statistics—has been expanded with the latest publicly available data.

The repository now contains:

• More than 13 million data points

• Over 2400 health indicators

• 22 dimensions of inequality

The data allow users to examine disparities across multiple population groups and health conditions.

The repository compiles 62 datasets from major global data providers, including:

• WHO

• Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) Programme

• Eurostat

• Global Data Lab

• Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)

• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

• UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME)

• UN Sustainable Development Goals Global Database

• UNAIDS

• UNDP

• UNICEF

• World Bank

Tracking Health Gaps Across Populations

The repository allows health data to be analyzed across multiple inequality dimensions, including:

• Age

• Disability status

• Economic status

• Education

• Employment

• Migratory status

• Place of residence

• Sex

• Subnational region

Access to such disaggregated data is considered crucial for identifying which populations are most affected by health inequalities.

New Version of Health Equity Analysis Tool

WHO also launched Version 7 of the Health Equity Assessment Toolkit (HEAT), which helps researchers, policymakers and analysts explore inequality data through interactive graphs, maps and tables.

The new version is preloaded with the 2025 update of the Health Inequality Data Repository, allowing users to immediately analyze the most recent global data.

One of the major additions is a new “Determinants” analysis component, enabling users to explore links between health outcomes and social determinants.

Exploring the Drivers of Health Inequality

The new HEAT feature allows users to generate scatterplots comparing health indicators with key determinants of health across countries.

These determinants are organized into six domains defined in the WHO framework for monitoring social determinants of health equity:

• Economic security and equality

• Education

• Physical environment

• Social and community context

• Health behaviours

• Health care access

By visualizing these relationships, policymakers can better understand the factors contributing to health disparities.

Supporting Evidence-Based Policy

WHO officials say expanding global health inequality data is essential to designing policies that close health gaps.

“Providing easy access to the latest global inequality data through the Repository, and maintaining tools like HEAT to promote the use of these data, are important components of our work on health inequality monitoring,” said Ahmad Reza Hosseinpoor, WHO Team Lead for Health Inequality Monitoring.

“Together, the Health Inequality Data Repository and HEAT pave the way for users in countries to better understand where inequalities exist and determine how they can be sustainably addressed.”

Health Equity a Global Priority

Monitoring health inequalities helps governments identify populations that are being left behind in access to health services and outcomes.

The effort is part of the WHO General Programme of Work 2025–2028 (GPW 14), which places health equity at the center of global health policy.

WHO says improved data tools will help countries design more inclusive health policies and programs, ultimately advancing the goal of health for all.