Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2009;124 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):31-8.
doi: 10.1177/00333549091240S206.

Integration of Surveillance for STDs, HIV, Hepatitis, and TB: A Survey of U.S. STD Control Programs

Deborah Dowell  1 , Nicholas H Gaffga  2 , Hillard Weinstock  2 , Thomas A Peterman  2
Affiliations

Integration of Surveillance for STDs, HIV, Hepatitis, and TB: A Survey of U.S. STD Control Programs

Deborah Dowell et al. Public Health Rep. 2009.

Abstract

Objectives: Integration of surveillance for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis, and tuberculosis (TB) may improve disease prevention and control. We determined the extent of surveillance integration in these programs, the benefits of integration, and barriers to increased integration.

Methods: We e-mailed a survey to the 58 federally funded local and state STD control programs and followed up with phone interviews of nine program representatives.

Results: The response rate was 81%. Many had compared infections by population subgroup for STDs and HIV (89%), STDs and hepatitis (53%), or STDs and TB (28%). Most (74%) had examined co-infections with HIV and STDs at the individual level and entered STD and HIV surveillance data into the same database (54%). All respondents thought some integration would be useful. Many (72%) used integrated data to disseminate information or change program strategies. The most commonly reported barriers to integration were policies preventing work with HIV data (85%) and incompatible databases (59%).

Conclusions: Most STD control programs in the United States have some experience integrating surveillance data, but the degree of integration varies widely. Specific barriers to further integration were identified. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can help address these barriers by facilitating access to information and sharing technical solutions. Local and state programs can continue advancing surveillance integration by improving understanding of where integrated data are needed, increasing the use of available data, and pressing for appropriate and secure data sharing.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 2
Figure 2
Percentages of federally funded state and local STD programs (n=47) that assessed co-infections with STD and HIV, hepatitis, or TB, by type of assessment, September–October 2007
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Thacker SB, Berkelman RL. Public health surveillance in the United States. Epidemiol Rev. 1988;10:164–90. - PubMed
    1. National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors, National Coalition of STD Directors. STD/HIV prevention integration. Washington: NASTAD and NCSD; 2002. [cited 2009 Jun 2]. Also available from: URL: http://www.ncsddc.org/upload/wysiwyg/documents/STDHIVIssuePaperFinal.pdf.
    1. Fleming DT, Wasserheit JN. From epidemiological synergy to public health policy and practice: the contribution of other sexually transmitted diseases to sexual transmission of HIV infection. Sex Transm Infect. 1999;75:3–17. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US), National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. An NCHHSTP green paper. Atlanta: CDC; July 2007. Program collaboration and service integration: enhancing the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, and TB in the United States.
    1. Delcher PC, Edwards KT, Stover JA, Newman LM, Groseclose SL, Rajnik DM. Data suppression strategies used during surveillance data release by sexually transmitted disease prevention programs. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2008;14:E1–8. - PubMed