Validity of the Surveillance Quality Indicators - Timeliness and Completeness - in Surveillance Systems with Variable Data Quality

Abstract

Timeliness and Completeness of the routine surveillance reports are surveillance quality indicators which are widely used for monitoring the surveillance quality. However our study shows that in maturing surveillance systems with variable data quality these quality indicators do not provide valid indication of quality. Maturing surveillance systems that have variable data quality should have more comprehensive indicators - including all surveillance system components and core and support surveillance functions - for monitoring surveillance quality.