Lesson 5: Public Health Surveillance
Appendix D. Major Health Data Systems in the United States
Note: For additional information on data systems see the sources listed just below the table.
| Title | Topic | Method | Approach | Geographic Level* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Data | Air pollution | Environmental monitoring | Sampling and measurement | L |
| Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System | Behavior | Population survey | Telephone interview | N, S, Ci |
| Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals | Nutrition | Population survey | Personal interview | N |
| Fatal Analysis Reporting System | Fatal traffic crashes | Agency and health-care provider survey | Police, driving, and health records review | N, S, L |
| HIV/AIDS Surveillance System | HIV/AIDS | Disease notification | Reports by physicians | N, S, L |
| Medical Expenditure Panel Survey | Health costs | Population and provider surveys | Personal interview Telephone interview |
N |
| Monitoring the Future Study | Drug use | Population survey | School questionnaire | N, S, Ci |
| National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey | Ambulatory care | Health-care provider survey | Health record review | N, R |
| National Crime Victimization Survey | Victims of crime | Population survey | Telephone interview | N, S |
| National Electronic Injury Surveillance System | Consumer product-related injuries | Health-care provider survey | Reports by emergency department staff | N |
| National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey | General health | Population survey | Personal interview and exam | N |
| National Health Interview Survey | General health | Population survey | Personal Interview | N, R |
| National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey | Ambulatory care | Health-care provider survey | Health record review | N, R |
| National Hospital Discharge Survey | Hospitalizations | Health-care provider survey | Health record review | N, S |
| National Immunization Survey | Immunizations | Population survey | Telephone interview | N, S, L |
| National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System | Infectious diseases | Disease notification | Reports by physicians and laboratories | N, S, L |
| National Profile of Local Health Departments | Local public health agencies | Agency survey | Mailed questionnaire | N, L |
| National Program of Cancer Registries | Cancer incidence and mortality | Registry | Health record review | N, S |
| National Survey on Drug Use and Health | Drug use | Population survey | Personal interview | N |
| National Survey of Family Growth | Pregnancy and women’s health | Population survey | Personal interview | |
| National Vital Statistics System | Birth and Death | Vital registration | Reports by physicians | N, S, Co |
| School Health Policies and Programs Study | School health policies and programs | Administrative data Population survey |
Mailed questionnaire Personal interview |
S, L |
| State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey | Health care | Population survey | Telephone interview | N, S, L |
| State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation System | Tobacco-related activities | Multiple | S | |
| STD Case Surveillance Reporting System | Sexually transmitted diseases | Disease notification | Reports by physicians | N, S, L |
| STORET | Water quality | Environmental monitoring | Sampling and measurement | L |
| Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results | Cancer incidence and survival | Registry | Health record review | N, S, Ci |
| United States Renal Data System | End stage renal disease | Multiple | ||
| Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System | Behavior | Population survey | School questionnaire | N, S |
* N = national; R = regional; S = state; L = local (county, city, or town); Co = county; Ci = city.
Sources: Healthy People 2010: Tracking Healthy People 2010 [Internet]. Washington, DC: Department of Health and Human Services; Part C. Major Data Sources for Healthy People 2010 [updated 2001 Jan 30; cited 2006 Jan 16]. Available from: http://www.healthypeople.gov/Document/html/tracking/THP_PartC.htm
Stroup DF, Brookmeyer R, Kalsbeek WD. Public health surveillance in action: a framework. In: Brookmeyer R, Stroup DF (editors). Monitoring the Health of Populations: Statistical Principles and Methods for Public Health Surveillance. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2004, p. 1–35.