Completeness Of Surveillance Data Research Articles

COVID-19 surveillance report for Sudan, 2020 to 2021

BackgroundFollowing the World Health Organization declaration, COVID-19 was first appearance in Sudan was in March 2020. Cases were reported to the Sudan Federal Ministry of Heath through the surveillance system from different sources. This study used surveillance data from 2020 to 2021 to describe the epidemiologic patterns of COVID-19 occurrence in Sudan and provide insight for better preparedness and response. MethodsThrough a retrospective descriptive study, COVID19 cases records obtained from the national surveillance line-list in Surveillance and Information Directorate in Federal Ministry of Health. The analysis of data was done with SPSS version 21. Descriptive analysis done by frequencies and percentages, and further analysis through performing multivariate logistic regression. ResultsOut of 48,545 suspected cases tested for COVID-19 using RT-PCR, 27,453 (56.5%) tested positive with case fatality ratio of 6.5%. Higher death rate among elderly (78% > 60-year-old) and males (70.1%). From the reported cases, 53.8% showed no symptoms, while the common symptoms among symptomatic patients were; fever (26.4%), cough (19.1%), shortness of breath (16.8%) with small proportion (4.5%) reported loss of smell and taste. Specific states, Khartoum, Gezira and Red Sea showed highest prevalence. The disease peaked four times during 2020–2021, with a proposed alert threshold of 200–250 cases per week acting as an explosion point nationwide. ConclusionsThe high case fatality rate in the country requires further analysis, as well as the high proportion of asymptomatic infection. This will be ensured by improving the quality and completeness of surveillance data. A proposed threshold of 200–250 cases per week should be an alert to augment the measures of controlling the pandemic over the country, including providing enough supplies to decrease mortality.

Improving general practice based epidemiologic surveillance using desktop clients: the French Sentinel Network experience.

Web-based applications are a choice tool for general practice based epidemiological surveillance; however their use may disrupt the general practitioners (GPs) work process. In this article, we propose an alternative approach based on a desktop client application. This was developed for use in the French General Practitioners Sentinel Network. We developed a java application running as a client on the local GP computer. It allows reporting cases to a central server and provides feedback to the participating GPs. XML was used to describe surveillance protocols and questionnaires as well as instances of case descriptions. An evaluation of the users' feelings was carried out and the impact on the timeliness and completeness of surveillance data was measured. Better integration in the work process was reported, especially when the software was used at the time of consultation. Reports were received more frequently with less missing data. This study highlights the potential of allowing multiple ways of interaction with the surveillance system to increase participation of GPs and the quality of surveillance.

Completeness of Surveillance Data Reported by the National Healthcare Safety Network: An Analysis of Healthcare-Associated Infections Ascertained in a Tertiary Care Hospital, 2010

Completeness of Surveillance Data Reported by the National Healthcare Safety Network: An Analysis of Healthcare-Associated Infections Ascertained in a Tertiary Care Hospital, 2010

Implementing integrated disease surveillance and response: Four African countries' experience, 1998–2005

The Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy was developed by the Africa Regional Office (AFRO) of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and proposed for adoption by member states in 1998. The goal was to build WHO/AFRO countries' capacity to detect, report and effectively respond to priority infectious diseases. This evaluation focuses on the outcomes in four countries that implemented this strategy. Major successes included: integration of the surveillance function of most of the categorical disease control programmes; implementation of standard surveillance, laboratory and response guidelines; improved timeliness and completeness of surveillance data and increased national-level review and use of surveillance data for response. The most challenging aspects were: strengthening laboratory networks; providing regular feedback and supervision on surveillance and response activities; routine monitoring of IDSR activities and extending the strategy to sub-national levels.

Electronic reporting improves timeliness and completeness of infectious disease notification, The Netherlands, 2003.

In 2002, the internet based reporting system OSIRIS was introduced in the Netherlands and by the end of that year had fully replaced the paper-based reporting system. The objectives of OSIRIS were to improve timeliness and completeness of surveillance data on infectious diseases reported from regional to national level. We compared the timeliness of infectious diseases reported by the conventional paper-based system in 2001 with those reported by OSIRIS in 2003. Two distinct types of delay were compared: total delay: defined as time between sympton onset and reporting at national level and central delay: defined as time between regional and national reporting. Median delays between both systems were compared using the Wilcoxon Rank Sum-Test. We also compared electronic reports received via OSIRIS in 2003 to those received through the conventional system for 2001 for completeness of specific data fields. The Fisher exact test and the Mantel-Haenzel test with Yates correction were used to determine the significance of proportions of completed data fields in each system.