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ISDS 2012 Conference Abstracts

Advancing Surveillance of Chronic and Non-
Communicable Disease—A Path Forward
Elissa R. Weitzman1, 3 and Nadia Waheed*2, 4

1Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; 2Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; 3Boston Children’s Hospital,
Boston, MA, USA; 4New England Eye Center, Boston, MA, USA

Objective
To characterize current and future approaches to surveillance of

chronic and non-communicable diseases and establish the agenda for
both methodological and condition-specific progress.

Introduction
Major global stakeholder groups including the United Nations,

World Health Organization and Institute of Medicine seek to raise
awareness of the threat to global health and security of chronic and
non-communicable diseases. These conditions comprise 50-85% of
the global annual morbidity burden and constitute a major drain on
national economies. To move from awareness of this problem to ac-
tion and amelioration of issues, we need effective means for moni-
toring and intervening with populations using approaches that span
primary, secondary and tertiary prevention.

Methods
This session will begin with a discussion of key concepts and terms

and their implications for defining target problems, populations and
surveillance strategies. We will also begin by reviewing the epi-
demiologic and economic arguments for advancing surveillance in
this area. The discussion will center on a critical assessment of issues
related to surveillance of chronic and non-communicable diseases:
how do approaches differ from established and evolving approaches
to surveillance of infectious disease? Are there opportunities for syn-
ergy with current surveillance efforts and assets? Where are new
methods needed? How might surveillance approaches be advanced in
different regions (e.g., developing and industrialized settings)? Might
new approaches predicated on “citizen science” and engaged patient
and public health cohorts provide platforms for advancing surveil-
lance of chronic and non-communicable diseases and what is required
to ensure their success?

Results
Points of discussion:
1) Participants are encouraged to come prepared to share their ex-

periences engaging patient and public health cohorts in this area, in-
cluding sharing experiences engaging cohorts using online social
networks, participatory research and surveys. 

2) Brainstorm ideas for development of a workshop in non-com-
municable disease surveillance.

Sample questions:
1) What are the issues related to surveillance in the context of re-

source rich and poor contexts? 
2) What are the special needs for establishing cost-effective and

sustainable methods for longitudinal tracking? 
3) How can technological advances and engaged patient and pub-

lic health cohorts be used in the advancement of surveillance? What
are methods to maximize engagement in both the developed and de-
veloping world?

Conclusions
Non-communicable diseases are a major and growing morbidity

and mortality burden globally. This round table discussion will focus
on the importance of non-communicable disease surveillance, attempt
to elicit participant’s experiences in the surveillance of these condi-
tions, and outline special needs for establishing cost-effective and
sustainable methods for longitudinal tracking of non-communicable
diseases.

Keywords
surveillance; Non communicable diseases; chronic diseases

Acknowledgments

Dr Weitzman’s work is supported by PO1HK000088-01 from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Library of Medicine
grant 5R01LM007677 and 1U54RR025224-01 from NCRR/NIH.

*Nadia Waheed
E-mail: nwaheed@tuftsmedicalcenter.org

Online Journal of Public Health Informatics * ISSN 1947-2579 * http://ojphi.org * 5(1):e197, 2013