In my previous blog, I have explained about components of surveillance system. Besides its function in detecting and monitoring an outbreak, there are other important functions of Surveillance such as:
1. Estimates the magnitude of the program: For example, the graph shows the total case of dengue fever based on symptoms from January 2002 until April 2004.
2. Determine geographic distribution of illness: For example, there is higher incidence of certain diseases near the river. So, instead of only focusing on curative medicine, we shift our attention to prevention and promotion of health.
3. Portray natural history of the disease: Incidence of Varicella is highest in the beginning of the year. It is most likely due to the weather.
4. Detect epidemics/ define a problem: Sudden increased of the Salmonellosis rate in year 1985 was due to contaminated pasteurized milk.
5. Generate hypothesis and stimulate research: The highest reported number of cases of pertussis (whooping cough) is in age group less than 1 year old. Research can do done to find the cause.
6. Evaluate control measures: The reported cases of poliomyelitis have declined after the introduction of oral vaccine in 1961.
7. Monitor changes in infectious agents: The percentage of nosocomial enterococci infection reported as resistant to vancomycin is higher in ICU than non ICU.
8. Detect changes in health practice: There’s a steady increase in caesarean delivery among all deliveries in US hospital. This may be due to the physicians who do not follow the standard, or perform caesarean section procedure upon patient’s request.
9. Facilitate planning: There number of tuberculosis cases is fluctuating between 1976 and 1996. Based on the date, we can do proper planning in the management of tuberculosis to decrease the number of new cases.
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