Certified in Public Health (CPH) Practice Exam

What type of surveillance is exemplified by staff visiting hospitals to identify congenital malformations?

1. Sentinel surveillance

2. Active surveillance

3. Passive surveillance

4. Syndromic surveillance

The correct answer is: Active surveillance

Active surveillance is characterized by proactive efforts to gather information about health events, which involves direct engagement with healthcare providers or facilities. In the case of staff visiting hospitals to identify congenital malformations, this type of surveillance exemplifies active surveillance because it entails actively seeking out data rather than waiting for reports or notifications to come in. This approach allows for more accurate and timely collection of data on congenital malformations, as it can involve determining the extent of the issue directly from hospital records, interviewing medical staff, and ensuring that all relevant cases are documented. By taking this hands-on method, it enhances the understanding of the prevalence and occurrence of these malformations in the population. The other types of surveillance mentioned have different mechanisms. For example, sentinel surveillance involves monitoring specific locations or groups that are representative of a broader population, while passive surveillance relies on healthcare providers to report cases as they occur, without active pursuit for data. Syndromic surveillance focuses on the identification of health issues through predefined syndromes, often using data from emergency departments and other rapid reporting systems, which contrasts with the targeted data collection method used in this scenario.