Objective: To broadly describe current syndromic surveillance systems in use throughout the United States and to provide basic descriptive information on responses to syndromic system signals. Methods: Cross-sectional survey (telephone and e-mail) of state epidemiologists in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Results: Forty-one states participated in the survey for a response rate of 80 percent. Thirty-three states (80%) had at least one syndromic surveillance system in addition to BioSense operating within the state. Every state with an urban area at highest risk of a terrorist attack reported monitoring syndromic surveillance data, and a state's overall preparedness level was not related to the presence (or lack) of operational syndromic surveillance systems. The most common syndromic surveillance systems included BioSense (n = 20, 61%) and RODS (n = 13, 39%). Seventy-six percent of states with syndromic surveillance initiated investigations at the state level, 64 percent at the county level, and 45 percent at both the state and county levels. Conclusions: The majority of states reported using syndromic surveillance systems, with greatest penetration in those at highest risk for a terrorist attack. Most states used multiple systems and had varied methods (central and local) of responding to alerts, indicating the need for detailed response protocols. Copyright © 2009 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
CITATION STYLE
Uscher-Pines, L., Farrell, C. L., Cattani, J., Hsieh, Y. H., Moskal, M. D., Babin, S. M., … Rothman, R. E. (2009). A survey of usage protocols of syndromic surveillance systems by state public health departments in the United States. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 15(5), 432–438. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0b013e3181a5d36b
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