Abstract

SEQUEIRA-SOTO, Jorge  and  ROMERO-ZUNIGA, Juan José. Epidemiological Research Assessmen for Leptospirosis in Five Regions of Costa Rica. Rev. costarric. salud pública [online]. 2015, vol.24, n.1, pp.70-85. ISSN 1409-1429.

Background and aim: Evaluate the opportunity, systematicity and quality of the investigation of leptospirosis suspicious cases in five regions with high prevalence in Costa Rica, given its importance for proper prevention and control of leptospirosis. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study that evaluates the opportunity, systematicity and the quality of the information of the leptospirosis suspicious cases investigation system by weighing of indicators for each attribute between years 2004-2008 in the regions Brunca, Central Este, Huetar Atlantica, Huetar Norte and Pacifico Central according to the structural organization of the Costa Rican Ministry of Health. The information sources are from the obligatory notification electronic registries of the Ministry of Health, and the collected leptospirosis suspicious case investigation forms generated in the different Health Areas. The laboratory data were obtained from the INCIENSA´s Leptospirosis National Reference Center. Results: The system attributes evaluation was realized in 1 497 suspicious cases and 498 investigations. For a maximum value of 1,00 for each attribute, the system opportunity was evaluated with 0,43, as well as the systematicity and the quality of the information with a value of 0,12 and 0,53, respectively. Of the total of cases with obligatory notification formulary (1 339), it was recovered a second sample in 35,7 % of them (IC95 %: 32,5-38,8). Conclusion: The investigation for the leptospirosis suspicious cases lacks the opportunity, systematicity and quality necessary to fulfill the objectives of the Health Surveillance System. This could have effects on the capacity to implement of effective control and prevention measures.

Keywords : Leptospirosis; epidemiological surveillance; Information systems; Fuente: MeSH.

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