Abstract
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Objectives: Surveillance reporting, which is integral to public
health and safety, involves the systematic collection, analysis, and
dissemination of data crucial for various health and security scenarios. Despite
its importance, standardized Guidelines for Surveillance Reporting (G-SIRE) are
lacking, leading to inconsistencies and affecting data reliability and
comparability. To address this gap, this study aimed to develop the G-SIRE,
tailored to improve the clarity, transparency, and consistency of surveillance
reports, thereby increasing the accuracy and usability of surveillance data for
better public health outcomes.
Methods: The methodology adhered to the EQUATOR Network standards,
employing a multidimensional approach with a diverse expert team. The process
included forming a research committee of multidisciplinary experts, conducting a
thorough literature review of recent surveillance report publications, reviewing
existing reporting guidelines, and developing a new set of guidelines.
Continuous updates and revisions are planned to keep the guidelines relevant and
effective.
Results: Significant progress has been made as of November 2023 in
developing comprehensive reporting guidelines for surveillance reports. A
detailed checklist and Explanation & Elaboration documents have been
formulated, which are anticipated to be finalized and published by December
2023.
Conclusion: The G-SIRE guidelines signify a major advancement in
standardizing surveillance. They provide a structured approach that increases
scientific accuracy, transparency, and practical applicability in this domain.
The guidelines are expected to improve the quality of surveillance reporting
significantly, contributing to the advancement of public health research and
discourse.
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Keywords: Surveillance report; Reporting guideline; Study protocol
Introduction
Surveillance reports play a critical role in the realm of public health and safety.
At its core, a surveillance report refers to a document for the ongoing systematic
collection, analysis, and dissemination of data related to events or activities that
are of importance for public health or security [
1]. The significance of this process lies in its ability to provide
timely information, which is crucial for decision-making and effective responses in
various scenarios [
2]. Whether they involve
monitoring the spread of infectious diseases [
3], assessing the effectiveness of health interventions [
4], or ensuring national security [
5], surveillance reports serve as a cornerstone
for informed strategies and actions. Their importance is further underscored by
their applications across diverse fields, including epidemiology, environmental
studies, and national defense, highlighting the versatility and indispensability of
these documents in safeguarding public welfare [
6].
Despite the significant role of surveillance reports, standardized reporting
guidelines are lacking. This absence of a structured framework leads to
inconsistencies in reporting practices, thereby affecting the reliability and
comparability of surveillance data. Reporting guidelines are checklists, flow
diagrams, or organized texts that act as detailed guides for authors when reporting
specific kinds of research [
7]. These tools
are valuable for various groups, including peer reviewers, authors, and scientific
journals, helping to ensure accurate and thorough reporting of research. Recognizing
this gap, our study aimed to develop the Guidelines for Surveillance Reporting
(G-SIRE), a comprehensive set of reporting guidelines specifically tailored for
surveillance reports. The objective of this study was to establish a standardized
protocol that improves the clarity, transparency, and consistency of surveillance
reports. By doing so, the G-SIRE guidelines aim to contribute to the accuracy and
usability of surveillance data, ultimately supporting better public health and
safety outcomes. This study involved a systematic approach, including literature
review, expert consultations, and iterative feedback, to ensure that the guidelines
are robust, practical, and applicable across various surveillance contexts.
Methods
This project's methodology aligns with the Enhancing the Quality and
Transparency of Health Research (EQUATOR) Network standards [
8]. The method involved a multidimensional approach, engaging a
diverse team of experts to create solid reporting guidelines.
The research committee is a multidisciplinary group that has played a key role in
shaping the reporting guidelines. It consists of preventive medicine experts who
focus on disease prevention strategies, epidemiologists who study disease
patterns and outbreak dynamics, methodologists who ensure scientific accuracy in
research design and data analysis, family medicine professionals who provide
insights into practical community health management, public health experts
aligning the guidelines with wider health policies, and journal editors ensure
that the guidelines are clear and applicable. Their combined knowledge, brought
together in workshops and team sessions, has formed a basis for developing
comprehensive, scientifically sound, and practical reporting guidelines.
Literature review
Our team conducted a thorough review of manuscripts on surveillance reports,
published in the last 3 years in well-known international journals. We
specifically chose Public Health Weekly Report (PHWR) in Korea,
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) in the USA,
and EuroSurveillance in Europe for their significant
contributions to the field and their commitment to publishing top-quality
reports on surveillance. These manuscripts were carefully examined to identify
unique features, research methods, and key components crucial to surveillance
reporting. Following this extensive review, a joint meeting with all team
members was held. The aim was to merge our findings, discuss the differences and
similarities in reporting styles among the chosen journals, and identify any
gaps in the literature. The insights from these discussions were vital in
developing the new reporting guidelines, ensuring that they meet current needs
and advance the standards of surveillance reporting in health research.
Reviewing existing reporting guidelines
This stage involved scrutinizing and categorizing existing reporting guidelines,
including a detailed study of the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational
Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement [
9] and the Reporting of Studies Conducted Using Observational
Routinely-Collected Health Data (RECORD) statement [
10]. The main goal was to assess these guidelines for their
suitability and effectiveness in surveillance reporting. This included examining
each guideline’s structure, key components, and overall approach to
epidemiological surveillance reporting. In particular, we focused on how these
guidelines address the specific challenges of surveillance reports, such as
detailing epidemiological methods, presenting research findings, and discussing
public health implications.
Developing the G-SIRE guidelines was a systematic process led by our expert
committee. The initial draft was based on insights from a detailed literature
review and an analysis of existing reporting guidelines, ensuring that G-SIRE
aligns with current practices and reflects recent knowledge in the field. The
G-SIRE framework is structured into several distinct sections (e.g., title,
abstract, summary, introduction, methods, results, discussion, and other
information), each requiring specific details for comprehensive reporting. In
total, 25 items need to be addressed across these sections.
We included Explanation & Elaboration (E&E) documents for each
guideline item, giving clear reasons and context, which increases the
guidelines' usability. The committee played a crucial role in this phase,
carefully creating each guideline item. These items are evidence-based, drawn
from the combined expertise of the committee, reviewed literature, and current
guidelines. This joint effort ensures that all important aspects of surveillance
reporting are covered, focusing on scientific accuracy and practical use.
We then repeatedly revised the initial draft of the guidelines and the E&E
documents, applying them to selected literature to check their effectiveness and
refining them based on feedback. Both internal team members and external
experts, including those experienced in surveillance reporting, reviewed the
drafts. This review process used a scoring system for a detailed evaluation of
each part of the guidelines and the E&E documents.
Finally, we produced the final version of the guidelines and a comprehensive
manual. The checklist provides a brief guide for researchers, while the manual
gives detailed explanations and examples for various surveillance scenarios.
This systematic and evidence-based approach ensures the final guidelines are
inclusive, up-to-date, and practical for use.
Ongoing updates and revisions
Recognizing the constantly evolving nature of public health and epidemiological
surveillance [
11], we commit to regularly
updating the G-SIRE guidelines. Ongoing revisions are crucial to keep the
guidelines relevant and effective amid changing challenges, scientific
advancements, and new best practices in the field. To ensure that these updates
are timely and effective, the G-SIRE guidelines will be continually reviewed,
aligning them with the latest developments in public health and epidemiology. A
key part of this process is gathering and integrating feedback from a wide range
of users including researchers, public health experts, epidemiologists, and
policymakers. Their input will be invaluable in identifying areas for
improvement, making sure the guidelines continue to be responsive to user
needs.
Results
As of November 2023, the research team has achieved significant progress in creating
detailed reporting guidelines for surveillance reports. Meanwhile, the team has been
diligently developing a comprehensive checklist and E&E documents. These
instruments are designed to assist authors in reporting surveillance reports with
clarity and uniformity. The team anticipates the completion and publication of the
finalized versions of both the checklist and the E&E document by December
2024.
Discussion
The development of the G-SIRE guidelines marks a notable progression in the
standardization of surveillance system data reporting in the scientific literature.
These guidelines aid researchers in effectively articulating both the advantages and
limitations of their research findings. Crucially, they also facilitate the
interpretation and practical application of these findings. This clarity is
essential in the progression of surveillance research, ensuring that the results are
not only scientifically sound but also pragmatically relevant in various
settings.
In addition, the G-SIRE framework serves as an essential resource for editorial teams
and peer reviewers. It offers a systematic method for evaluating the quality and
pertinence of research manuscripts, promoting high levels of scientific integrity
and clarity in surveillance-related publications. This aspect is increasingly
significant in a context where the precision and dependability of health-related
data are of utmost importance.
The inclusion of detailed explanations and illustrative examples for each item in the
checklist, as referenced in the appendix, increases the utility of the guidelines.
This approach facilitates a deeper understanding of the guidelines and offers
practical guidance for their application. By providing specific examples, the
guidelines become more approachable and user-centric, minimizing the likelihood of
misinterpretation or errors during the manuscript preparation process.
Looking forward, the broad implementation of the G-SIRE is likely to significantly
improve the caliber of research in the surveillance system domain. The guidelines
promote transparency and uniformity in reporting, as well as a deep comprehension of
the intricacies involved in handling surveillance data. As the research community
becomes more acquainted with these guidelines, an increase in the quality of
surveillance research publications is expected, contributing meaningfully to the
evolution of the field and improving public health discourse.
Conclusions
In summary, G-SIRE represents a pivotal advancement in the standardization of
surveillance system data reporting, offering a framework that enhances the
scientific accuracy, transparency, and practical applicability of research
findings in this domain. By providing a structured approach for manuscript
preparation and evaluation, these guidelines not only facilitate improved
clarity and consistency in research reporting, but also aid in advancing the
quality of publications in the field of surveillance. The comprehensive nature
of G-SIRE, including its detailed checklist and illustrative examples, makes it
a valuable resource for researchers, editors, and peer reviewers alike. This is
instrumental in elevating the standards of surveillance research and,
consequently, enriching the broader discourse in public health and
epidemiology.
Authors' contributions
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Project administration: Kim SY
Conceptualization: Jung W, Ryu S, Ryu SY, Ha M, Choi BY, Kim SY
Methodology & data curation: Ryu S, Ha M, Kim SY
Funding acquisition: Choi BY, Kim SY
Writing - original draft: Jung W, Kim SY
Writing - review & editing: Jung W, Ryu S, Ryu SY, Ha M, Choi BY, Kim
SY
Conflict of interest
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No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.
Funding
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This research was funded through the support of the Policy Research and
Development Service Project (202305210001) from the Korea Disease Control and
Prevention Agency.
Data availability
-
Not applicable.
Acknowledgments
We extend our gratitude to Ms. JiHye Kwon for her invaluable administrative
assistance.
Supplementary materials
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Not applicable.
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