Evaluation of notifiable communicable disease reporting in medical institutions in Peoples Liberation Army, 2007

ObjectiveTo evaluate the quality of notifiable communicable disease reporting in the medical institutions in People s Liberation Army (PLA) of China and provide scientific evidence to improve the efficiency and quality of the reporting.MethodsBy stratified random sampling, 26 medical institutions in PLA were selected to conduct survey on the quality of notifiable communicable disease reporting. ResultsThe overall underreporting rate was 21.40%. The underreporting rate of Class C communicable diseases (31.48%) was higher than that of Class B communicable diseases (19.59%); the difference had statistical significance (I/Isup2/sup＝16.78, IP/I=0.000). The underreporting rates in outpatient department,inpatient department and laboratory were 16.99%, 24.42% and 35.98% respectively; the difference had statistical significance(I/Isup2/sup=65.99，IP/I=0.000). There were no statistically significant differences on underreporting rates in medical institutions at different level; the rate was 20.74% in general hospitals and 22.17% in central hospitals, but the completeness and accuracy rates of reporting were higher than timeliness rate in both level hospitals. The timeliness rate of Class B communicable diseases reporting (65.78%) was higher than that of Class C communicable diseases(48.94%); the difference had statistical significance (I/Isup2/sup＝24.31，IP/I=0.000). ConclusionThe communicable disease reporting system in PLA medical institutions should be improved and the reporting of communicable disease should be strengthened by standard management in PLA medical institutions at all levels.