Canadian Forces Evaluation of the EPINATO Health Surveillance System in Bosnia-Herzegovina

The Canadian Forces (CF) adopted the EPINATO surveillance system in 1996 to monitor disease and injury morbidity in deployed settings. The Directorate of Force Health Protection, CF Health Services Group initiated an evaluation of EPINATO in Task Force Bosnia-Herzegovina in August 2003. Two methods...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inMilitary medicine Vol. 171; no. 10; pp. 955 - 961
Main Authors Wilson, Jean L., Carew, Maureen T., Strauss, Barbara A.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England Oxford University Press 01.10.2006
Subjects
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Canada - epidemiology
Codes
Confidence intervals
Disease - classification
Disease prevention
Epidemiologic Methods
Forms and Records Control - standards
Health services
Health surveillance
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Medical Audit
Military deployment
Military Medicine - standards
Military Personnel - statistics & numerical data
Population Surveillance - methods
Program Evaluation
Public Health
Quality standards
Surveys and Questionnaires
Task forces
Theater
Validity
Warfare
Canada
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia-Hercegovina
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Summary:The Canadian Forces (CF) adopted the EPINATO surveillance system in 1996 to monitor disease and injury morbidity in deployed settings. The Directorate of Force Health Protection, CF Health Services Group initiated an evaluation of EPINATO in Task Force Bosnia-Herzegovina in August 2003. Two methods were used to assess coding reliability: a chart audit and Sick Parade Register review. Stakeholder interviews were conducted evaluating data flow, reporting structure, and key system attributes. Reliability (K, 95% confidence interval) was good in 4 of 24 categories--sexually transmitted diseases, K = 0.75 (0.50, 1.00); eye disorders, K = 0.51 (0.15, 0.88); ears/nose/ throat, K = 0.51 (0.33, 0.69); lower respiratory infections, K = 0.49 (95% confidence interval 0.34, 0.65)-but otherwise was poor. EPINATO is not an effective, reliable tool for CF deployment health surveillance. An improved health surveillance system is required to ensure disease and injury aberrations are detected and optimal preventive programs and policies are in place for deployed CF military members.
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ISSN:0026-4075
1930-613X
DOI:10.7205/MILMED.171.10.955