Abstract

KEMP, Brigina et al. Private health sector and rash and fever illnesses surveillance: a municipal experience. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [online]. 2009, vol.18, n.2, pp.141-152. ISSN 1679-4974.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742009000200005.

From 2003 to 2004, a rash and fever syndromic surveillance system (VigiFEx) was implemented in the Municipality of Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil, to understand disease epidemiology in a setting with low incidence of rubella and no transmission of measles. The purpose of that system was to know the epidemiology of those diseases when there were no auctoctone cases of measles and low incidence of rubella. The objective of this study was to describe strategies for incorporation of the private health sector into surveillance activities, and its participation in that surveillance system. The proportion of notifying units and notified cases by the private and public health sectors before and during VigiFEx were analyzed. An increase in the proportion of private sector notifying units was observed (from 14.5 to 28.0%: p-value <0.05); as well as an increase in the proportion of cases notified through the private sector (from 1.6 to 8.3%: p-value <0.05). Notification by the private sector was higher in the beginning of VigiFEx. In conclusion, increased participation of the private healthcare sector in surveillance activities is feasible as far as specific strategies are used. The authors suggest specific activities to integrate public and private healthcare sectors.

Keywords : epidemiologic surveillance; exanthema; fever; private sector; public sector.

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