title: Towards an electronic national injury surveillance system in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: Given the need for a uniform, comprehensive, electronic nationwide surveillance system for injuries in Saudi Arabia, a system was designed with the objectives of establishing an epidemiologic profile of injuries in the country; evaluating injury indicators on an ongoing basis; identifying high-risk groups requiring specific interventions; monitoring and evaluating interventions for effectiveness; and producing reports to assist in planning and resource allocation. A special form for this purpose was designed, modified from validated forms used elsewhere for injury surveillance. This initiative of the Ministry of Health is also expected to help validate data collected by other sectors, such as the Ministry of Interior. This paper reviews the milestones of building the system and aims to prompt a debate within the scientific community, especially within the Eastern Mediterranean Region, about the best way to design injury surveillance systems for the Region in order to fine-tune the proposed system before its full-scale implementation.
authors: Injuries and Accidents Prevention Programme, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Alanazi
authors: Injuries and Accidents Prevention Programme, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: S A
authors: SA
authors: Hussain
authors: Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Mandil
authors: Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Alamro
mesh_terms: D001331:Automation; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*