Feasibility of standardized injury surveillance and reporting: a comparison of data from four Asian nations.
BACKGROUND
To address the increasing number of injuries in developing countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) encourages the establishment of hospital-based surveillance systems and systematic data collection. Although a computerized system is preferable in terms of efficiency, many developing countries have difficulty accessing the appropriate resources.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the possibility of comparing and sharing data among countries, and then to discuss the possibility of establishing an international data management system through the internet.


METHODS
A point-by-point comparison of data directories from injury surveillance systems in Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Japan was conducted using guidelines published by WHO as the standard.


RESULTS
Thailand, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka used data items that are comparable to each other and to WHO guidelines, with few, readily amenable, differences. The Japanese system used quite different data items.


CONCLUSIONS
Data comparability suggests the feasibility of a global data management system that can store data from various countries. Such a system, if made accessible over the internet, would benefit resource-constrained countries by providing them with a ready-made framework to implement a surveillance system at low cost.
Nakahara
S
S
Department of Preventive Medicine, St Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan. snakahara@marianna-u.ac.jp
Jayatilleke
A U
AU
Ichikawa
M
M
Marasinghe
A
A
Kimura
A
A
Yoshida
K
K
D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000592:standards; D003906:Developing Countries; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D020407:Internet; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology