Public Health, Surveillance in

Surveillance in public health is a complex, multilevel mechanism aimed at providing evidence-based data on population health status and health-related events. Generally speaking, it is an [Page 836]ongoing process of systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of health-related data. This continuous monitoring generates information to be used for planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health practice. In this context, monitoring and data sharing with “those who need to know” are the basis for a wide range of surveillance activities, oriented to that end. This is organized under a cyclical approach.

In this entry, public health surveillance is explained based on a multidisciplinary approach, combining epidemiology and surveillance studies. For this reason, after exposing the basic definition, origins and functioning, risks, and further impacts on privacy or ...