title: Impacts of national surveillance for uncommon conditions in childhood.
abstract: The Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit (APSU) facilitates the conduct of national collaborative research that is consistent with national health priorities, has potential to impact on public health, and addresses gaps in knowledge. Since 1993 paediatricians and other child health specialists have contributed monthly data on rare childhood conditions to the APSU. Over 40 conditions, including infectious diseases, injuries, vaccine-preventable diseases and genetic disorders have been studied. Information on epidemiology, frequency, diagnosis, management and short-term outcomes of these conditions is collected and provides evidence to support changes to clinical practice, prevention policy and allocation of health resources. In this review we give examples of the value of information gathered through the APSU surveillance system in the last 14 years.
authors.affiliation: Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW, Australia. yvonnez@chw.edu.au
authors.forename: Yvonne A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Zurynski
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Peadon
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bower
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Elliott
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D015980:Public Health Practice; D035583:Rare Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*