title: Sensitivity of the Dengue Surveillance System in Brazil for Detecting Hospitalized Cases.
abstract: We evaluated the sensitivity of the dengue surveillance system in detecting hospitalized cases in ten capital cities in Brazil from 2008 to 2013 using a probabilistic record linkage of two independent information systems hospitalization (SIH-SUS) adopted as the gold standard and surveillance (SINAN). Sensitivity was defined as the proportion of cases reported to the surveillance system amid the suspected hospitalized cases registered in SIH-SUS. Of the 48,174 hospitalizations registered in SIH-SUS, 24,469 (50.7%) were reported and registered in SINAN, indicating an overall sensitivity of 50.8% (95%CI 50.3-51.2). The observed sensitivity for each of the municipalities included in the study ranged from 22.0% to 99.1%. The combination of the two data sources identified 71,161 hospitalizations, an increase of 97.0% over SINAN itself. Our results allowed establishing the proportion of underreported dengue hospitalizations in the public health system in Brazil, highlighting the use of probabilistic record linkage as a valuable tool for evaluating surveillance systems.
authors.affiliation: National Dengue Control Program, Ministry of Health, Brasilia, Brazil.|Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania, Brazil.
authors.forename: Giovanini Evelim
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.affiliation: National Dengue Control Program, Ministry of Health, Brasilia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Priscila Leite
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.affiliation: National Dengue Control Program, Ministry of Health, Brasilia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Matheus de Paula
authors.initials: Mde P
authors.lastname: Cerroni
authors.affiliation: National Dengue Control Program, Ministry of Health, Brasilia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Cristina Rocha
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Simplicio
authors.affiliation: Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania, Brazil.
authors.forename: João Bosco
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Siqueira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003715:Dengue / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D006753:Hospital Records; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011634:Public Health; D055815:Young Adult