public health surveillance Flashcards
what is public health surveillance?
it is the ongoing systematic collection , analysis and interpretation of outcome- specific data for use in the planning , implementation and evaluation of public health practice.
what is the purpose of public health surveillance?
assess public health status
define public health priorities
evaluate programs
conduct research
what are the attributes of a good surveillance?
simplicity
flexibility
data quality
acceptability
representativeness
timeliness
stability
sensitivity and positive predictive value
what are the steps in planning a surveillance system?
establish objectives
develop case definition
determine data source or data collection mechanism
develop data collection instruments
field test methods
develop and test analytic approach
develop dissemination mechanism
ensure use of analysis and interpretation.
what are the types of surveillance system?
vital records
administrative system
risk factor or health interview surveys
existing registries
sentinel system
what is passive surveillance?
a system in which data is generated without solicitation, intervention or contact by the health agency carrying out the surveillance
what are the examples of passive surveillance?
deaths, disease registries, hospital records
significance and advantages of passive surveillance
assess trends in diseases and risk factors for disease prevention and control.
inexpensive and part of every health system
challenges of passive surveillance are?
poor adherence to case definition, poor organization, incomplete laboratory information, incomplete reporting , feedback, large amount of unutilized data
major disadvantages of passive surveillance
under detection, misclassification and underreporting in low income countries
what is active surveillance?
that which the organization conducting the surveillance initiates procedures to obtain report to meet a specific defined need in a sub population
advantages of active surveillance
early, timely and complete information
data can be used to assess passive surveillance
disadvantages of active surveillance
expensive and elaborate to set up- training, logistics and personnel
basic ingredients of surveillance system
a good network of motivated people
an efficient communication system
availability of clear case definition and reporting mechanism
basic but sound epidemiology
good feedback and rapid response
good laboratory support
what to consider in selecting disease for surveillance
frequency of occurrence
severity
cost
preventability
communicability
public interest
socio-political and economic considerations
