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Assessing the sensitivity of STD surveillance in the Netherlands: an application of the capture–recapture method

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 1999

R. REINTJES ,
F. TERMORSHUIZEN  and
M. J. W. van de LAAR
R. REINTJES
Affiliation:
Department for Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
F. TERMORSHUIZEN
Affiliation:
Department for Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
M. J. W. van de LAAR
Affiliation:
Department for Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
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Abstract

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The capture–recapture method was used to estimate the sensitivity of case finding in two national STD surveillance systems: (1) STD registration at municipal health services (STD-MHS); (2) statutory notification by clinicians (NNS). To identify those cases common to both surveillance systems, cases from 1995 were compared using individual identifiers. Estimated sensitivities for syphilis were: STD-MHS 31% (95% CI: 27–35%), NNS 64% (56–71%); and for gonorrhoea: STD-MHS 15% (14–18%), NNS 22% (19–25%). The combined sensitivity of both systems was 76% for syphilis and 34% for gonorrhoea. Differences in the sensitivity of the systems were significant. The NNS was more sensitive than the STD-MHS, and the identification of cases was significantly more sensitive for syphilis than for gonorrhoea. A stratified analysis showed comparable results for the two sexes. Knowledge on the sensitivity of surveillance systems is useful for public health decisions and essential for international comparisons.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 122 , Issue 1 , February 1999 , pp. 97 - 102
Copyright
© 1999 Cambridge University Press