Integration of Syndromic Surveillance Data into Public Health Practice at State and Local Levels in North Carolina

• Published in: Public health reports (1974) Vol. 127; no. 3; pp. 310 - 317
• Main Authors: Samoff, Erika, Waller, Anna, Fleischauer, Aaron, Ising, Amy, Davis, Meredith K., Park, Mike, Haas, Stephanie W., DiBiase, Lauren, MacDonald, Pia D.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA Association of Schools of Public Health 01.05.2012; SAGE Publications; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Algorithms; Authority; Biological and medical sciences; Communicable diseases; Data Collection; Directors; Disease; Disease information; Disease Notification; Disease outbreaks; Disease Outbreaks - prevention & control; Diseases; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Health Planning Guidelines; Health surveys; Humans; Infectious diseases; Investigation; Local Government; Medical practice; Medical sciences; Minorities; Miscellaneous; North Carolina; North Carolina - epidemiology; Nursing; Public health; Public Health Administration; Public Health Practice; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Report writing; Sentinel Surveillance; State Government; Statistics as Topic - organization & administration; Surveillance; North Carolina; United States; North America; America; Integration; Surveillance; Professional practice; Public health
• ISSN: 0033-3549; 1468-2877
• DOI: 10.1177/003335491212700311

Objectives. We sought to describe the integration of syndromic surveillance data into daily surveillance practice at local health departments (LHDs) and make recommendations for the effective integration of syndromic and reportable disease data for public health use. Methods. Structured interviews were conducted with local health directors and communicable disease nursing staff from a stratified random sample of LHDs from May through September 2009. Interviews captured information on direct access to the North Carolina syndromic surveillance system and on the use of syndromic surveillance information for outbreak management, program management, and the creation of reports. We analyzed syndromic surveillance system data to assess the number of signals resulting in a public health response. Results. Syndromic surveillance data were used for outbreak investigation (19% of respondents) and program management and report writing (43% of respondents); a minority reported use of both syndromic and reportable disease data for these purposes (15% and 23%, respectively). Receiving data from frequent system users was associated with using data for these purposes (p=0.016 and p=0.033, respectively, for syndromic and reportable disease data). A small proportion of signals (<25%) resulted in a public health response. Conclusions. Use of syndromic surveillance data by North Carolina local public health authorities resulted in meaningful public health action, including both case investigation and program management. While useful, the syndromic surveillance data system was oriented toward sensitivity rather than efficiency. Successful incorporation of new surveillance data is likely to require systems that are oriented toward efficiency.