Evaluation of the Dengue Epidemiological Surveillance System data quality, positive predictive value, timeliness and representativeness, Brazil, 2005-2009

OBJECTIVE:

to evaluate the dengue surveillance system data quality, positive predictive value (PPV), timeliness and representativeness in Brazil from 2005 to 2009.

METHODS:

this was an observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study with analysis of data on dengue held on the Notifiable Diseases Information System (Sinan), based on the methodology proposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

RESULTS:

improvement in the quality of the data with regard to consistency; dengue case PPV ranged from 34% to 65%; the system showed a median time of three days for case notification and was found to be representative, providing knowledge of the disease's status in the country.

CONCLUSION:

the dengue surveillance system in Brazil proved to be consistent, with significant positive predictive value, timely case reporting, as well as being representative and able to detect trends of change in the disease's epidemiological profile.

Dengue; Epidemiological Surveillance; Information Systems