Challenges faced by hospital healthcare workers in using a syndrome-based surveillance system during the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Taiwan

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2007 Mar;28(3):354-7. doi: 10.1086/508835. Epub 2007 Feb 13.

Abstract

Because the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Taiwan in 2003 was worsened by hospital infections, we analyzed 229 questionnaires (84.8% of 270 sent) completed by surveyed healthcare workers who cared for patients with SARS in 3 types of hospitals, to identify surveillance problems. Atypical clinical presentation was the most often reported problem, regardless of hospital type, which strongly indicates that more timely syndromic surveillance was needed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cross Infection / prevention & control
  • Disease Notification*
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Humans
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / prevention & control
  • Medical Staff, Hospital
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital
  • Personnel, Hospital*
  • Sentinel Surveillance
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome* / diagnosis
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome* / epidemiology
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome* / prevention & control
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus
  • Surveys and Questionnaires*
  • Taiwan / epidemiology