Surveillance Webinar: Overview of Public Health Surveillance Systems Part 2-Overview of Public Health Surveillance Systems Part 2 PPT

Overview of Public Health Surveillance Systems Part 2 PPT

Pdf Summary

This webinar, "Introduction to Public Health Surveillance Part 2," presented by Dr. Gib Parrish and Dr. Sharon McDonnell on November 20, 2025, focused on the U.S. National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NNDSS), surveillance of hepatitis A, and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).<br /><br />The NNDSS is a comprehensive program that collects, analyzes, and shares public health data on nationally significant diseases. It operates through policies, laws, standardized case definitions, and data systems at local to national levels. Conditions included in NNDSS are chosen by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) with CDC assistance, updated annually, and include infectious diseases like anthrax, COVID-19, hepatitis variants, and non-infectious conditions such as cancer and lead poisoning.<br /><br />The history of U.S. disease reporting dates back to 1878, evolving from overseas reports to telegraphic state reporting, culminating in CDC’s current role managing electronic data through NEDSS and publishing findings in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.<br /><br />Hepatitis A surveillance was highlighted, with its single-serotype RNA virus characteristics, case definition criteria per CSTE 2018 standards, and historical incidence trends influenced by vaccination and outbreaks. Factors like long incubation periods pose outbreak challenges, and risk behaviors such as injection drug use and sexual contact were outlined.<br /><br />BRFSS, established in 1984, is the largest telephone-based health survey worldwide, monitoring behavioral risk factors like tobacco use, obesity, physical activity, and alcohol consumption. It employs standardized core questions and optional modules, with data helping track trends such as state-level obesity prevalence and smoking rates. Related surveys like PRAMS and YRBSS monitor maternal and youth health behaviors but currently face some data release uncertainties.<br /><br />The webinar closed emphasizing the importance of aligning surveillance objectives with data capabilities to effectively monitor a wide range of health issues from behavioral risks to infectious diseases. The next webinar will cover "Climate and Health."

Keywords

Public Health Surveillance

NNDSS

Hepatitis A

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

BRFSS

CDC

Disease Reporting History

CSTE

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

Health Data Monitoring