title: Administrative data as a tool for arthritis surveillance: estimating prevalence and utilization of services.
abstract: The public health burden of arthritis and related conditions is incompletely described by commonly used public health surveillance systems. We examined the potential of administrative data as a supplement. The administrative data sources we used underestimated the prevalence of arthritis and overestimated service utilization for persons with arthritis when data from only one year were used. The use of five year's data doubled the prevalence estimate and reduced the service utilization estimate by half. The demographics of the population covered by administrative data also influence the prevalence estimate. Administrative data may usefully supplement routine public health surveillance systems but must be used with caution.
authors.affiliation: Chronic Disease, Injury, and Environmental Epidemiology Section, Epidemiology Branch, Division of Public Health, Georgia Department of Human Resources, 2 Peachtree Street, Room 14-392, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Diseker
authors.forename: Rodney J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Presley
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tolsma
authors.forename: Stic
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Kristen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Mertz
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Viel
authors.forename: Doyt L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Conn
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McClellan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001168:Arthritis / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011635:Public Health Administration; D040442:Public Health Informatics; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology