title: Assessment of reporting and recording system of communicable diseases in Jeddah Region.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the rate of reporting communicable diseases in Jeddah region, and to compare the recording system between the governmental and private sector.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a review of records study, in which the reports of communicable diseases from all hospitals and health centers (with or without cases) were studied, during the period of study; 1st to 25th international weeks 1999, and the reporting rate was calculated. A simple random sample was collected from these international weeks to evaluate the quality of recorded information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The reporting rate was 74%. Private hospitals have the highest rate in reporting (87%) and polyclinics have the least (67%). The recording rate was above 90% for administrative data. Personal data was complete except for patient name (76.5%), address (20%), and occupation (73%). The most prominent defect in the disease data was found to be in recording the mode of infection (13%), followed by previous vaccination (29%), date of symptoms (89%), and date of diagnosis (98%). Mode of infection was recorded in (40.5%) of cases by primary health care centers, but in polyclinics in only 1% of cases. Previous vaccination was recorded better by governmental sectors; (29%) by governmental hospital and (49%) by primary health care centers while in the private sectors the rate was (21%) by polyclinic and (25%) by private hospital. Date of symptoms was recorded in 90% of cases in all sectors except in governmental hospitals where it was only (50%). Date of diagnosis was recorded in more than (95%) in all sectors. The results show a statistical significant difference between different health sectors in recording data where government hospitals were least in recording doctor's name and in putting an official stamp in the form (p< 0.001); primary health care centers were the best in recording patient name and occupation (p< 0.001); polyclinics were least in recording mode of infection and previous vaccination (p< 0.001); for recording date of symptoms private hospitals were the best (p< 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reporting rate in Jeddah region was 74%, but its usefulness was diminished because of the incomplete, absent or incorrect personal and disease data.
authors: Joint Program for Postgraduate Family and Community Medicine, PO Box 8252, Jeddah 21482, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Bakarman
authors: R M
authors: RM
authors: Al-Raddadi
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D015982:Bias; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003151:Community Health Centers; D018563:Disease Notification / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D004282:Documentation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D016304:Hospitals, Private; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D017149:Private Sector / Q000592:standards; D017150:Public Sector / Q000592:standards; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology