OBJECTIVE:
to describe the magnitude and timely reporting of Notifiable Diseases (ND) and evaluate epidemiological indicators in 121 Brazilian border cities.
METHODS:
this was a descriptive study using Notifiable Diseases Information System (Sinan) 2007-2009 data on 45 diseases notifiable in Brazil, as well as normative evaluation of selected epidemiological surveillance indicators.
RESULTS:
405,484 notifications were recorded relating to 36 ND; differences in ND magnitude and distribution were found in border areas in comparison with other Brazilian cities, with heterogeneous performance in the epidemiological surveillance indicators. ND notification and timeliness of case outcome was also poor.
CONCLUSION:
the country's border area is not uniform. Weaknesses were found in municipal epidemiological surveillance systems, especially in detecting and timely reporting of diseases with epidemic potential, and also in the ability to respond to public health emergencies.
Border Areas; Disease Notification; Epidemiological Surveillance; Indicators; Epidemiology, Descriptive
