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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2022

Open Access 01-12-2022 | Research

Evaluation of the collaborative integrated surveillance system (ViCo) in Guatemala: a qualitative study on lessons learned and future perspectives

Authors: Jahn Jaramillo, Mariangeli Freitas Ning, Loren Cadena, Michael Park, Terrence Lo, Emily Zielinski-Gutierrez, Andres Espinosa-Bode, Marines Reyes, Maria Del Rosario Polo, Olga Henao

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2022

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Abstract

Background

The collaborative integrated surveillance system known as Vigilancia Integrada Comunitaria (ViCo) was implemented in 2007 to better understand and characterize the burden of diarrheal, respiratory and febrile illnesses in Guatemala.

Methods

To evaluate the usefulness of ViCo and inform a redesign of the system and new surveillance activities in the Central American region, personnel from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted thirty-nine in-depth interviews from June—December 2018 with key stakeholders responsible for the design and implementation of ViCo in Guatemala. A semi-structured questionnaire adapted from the Updated CDC Guidelines for Evaluating Public Health Surveillance Systems was used for data collection. We used a grounded theory approach to explore stakeholder perceptions of ViCo and generate recommendations for improvement. Primary qualitative findings were organized based on thematic areas using ATLAS.ti version 8 software.

Results

Emergent themes relevant to the usefulness of ViCo were organized across strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations pertaining to the: (1) Size and Complexity of ViCo, (2) Stakeholder Expectations About the Objectives of ViCo, (3) Data Management and Structure of the Information System, (4) Local Control of Data, (5) Integration of ViCo within the Ministry of Health, and, (6) Improvement of the Operational and Design Aspects of ViCo across System, Process, and Output levels.

Conclusions

Stakeholders perceived ViCo to be useful. They recommended measures to improve system performance and quality, including simplifying the surveillance system, routine data analysis and feedback, and channeling efforts towards integrating surveillance data into the national health information system. To create a well-performing surveillance system and achieve the intended objective of surveillance for public health action, ongoing evaluation and assessment of surveillance activities are necessary.
Appendix
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Footnotes
1
§ §See e.g., 45 C.F.R. part 46, 21 C.F.R. part 56; 42 U.S.C. §241(d); 5 U.S.C. §552a; 44 U.S.C. §3501 et seq.
 
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Metadata
Title
Evaluation of the collaborative integrated surveillance system (ViCo) in Guatemala: a qualitative study on lessons learned and future perspectives
Authors
Jahn Jaramillo
Mariangeli Freitas Ning
Loren Cadena
Michael Park
Terrence Lo
Emily Zielinski-Gutierrez
Andres Espinosa-Bode
Marines Reyes
Maria Del Rosario Polo
Olga Henao
Publication date
01-12-2022
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12719-7

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