TOPSIS and RSR method based comprehensive evaluation of quality of influenza-like illness surveillance in China, 2013–2019

  Objectives  Technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) and rank-sum ratio (RSR) were used to evaluate the quality of surveillance of influenza-like illness in sentinel hospitals and network laboratories in China. In addition, the applicability of TOPSIS and RSR in evaluating the quality of influenza surveillance was also discussed.

  Methods  Indicators were selected according to the national influenza surveillance program for a comprehensive evaluation of the performance of sentinel hospitals (5 indicators) and network laboratories (6 indicators) in China from 2013 to 2019 by using TOPSIS and RSR.

  Results  TOPSIS results showed that the first, median, and third quartiles of C values in sentinel hospitals and laboratories increased from 2013 to 2019. RSR results showed that the grading boundaries of sentinel hospitals and laboratories showed an overall increasing trend. Compared with 2013, the RSR grade increased in 188 sentinel hospitals, decreased in 99 sentinel hospitals and remained in 224 sentinel hospitals in 2019, and the RSR grade increased in 113 laboratories, decreased in 76 laboratories and remained in 128 laboratories in 2019.

  Conclusion  The overall surveillance quality of sentinel hospitals and network laboratories in China has been improved. The results of TOPSIS and RSR were objective and reliable, which could be applied in the quality evaluation of influenza-like illness surveillance.