Question

Discuss at least two reasons why it is important to evaluate public health surveillance systems.
Discuss at least two ways in which evaluation findings from public health surveillance can be used for public health action.

Answer 1

Ans) Public health surveillance provides the scientific and factual database essential to informed decision making and appropriate public health action. The key objective of surveillance is to provide information to guide interventions. Incontrast, chronic diseases and health-related behaviors change slowly.

In 1988, CDC published Guidelines for Evaluating Surveillance Systems:

(1) to promote the best use of public health resources through the development of efficient and effective public health surveillance systems. CDC's Guidelines for Evaluating Surveillance Systems are being updated to address the need for:

a) the integration of surveillance and health information systems

b) the establishment of data standards

c) the electronic exchange of health data

d) changes in the objectives of public health surveillance to facilitate the response of public health to emerging health threats (e.g., new diseases). For example, CDC, with the collaboration of state and local health departments, is implementing the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS) to better manage and enhance the large number of current surveillance systems and allow the public health community to respond more quickly to public health threats (e.g., outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases and bioterrorism)

(2) When NEDSS is completed, it will electronically integrate and link together several types of surveillance systems with the use of standard data formats; a communications infrastructure built on principles of public health informatics; and agreements on data access, sharing, and confidentiality. In addition, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) mandates that the United States adopt national uniform standards for electronic transactions related to health insurance enrollment and eligibility, health-care encounters, and health insurance claims; for identifiers for health-care providers, payers and individuals, as well as code sets and classification systems used in these transactions; and for security of these transactions.

(3) The electronic exchange of health data inherently involves the protection of patient privacy.

Based on CDC's Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health

(4) Research and discussion of concerns related to public health surveillance systems, and comments received from the public health community, this report provides updated guidelines for evaluating public health surveillance systems.