STD Surveillance Data Completeness and Timeliness

Background: Improving the timeliness of data transmission will allow CDC to more rapidly identify trends, especially across jurisdictions, and share data with state and local partners.   Complete demographic data are necessary to accurately describe the populations most impacted by morbidity and guide program activities and development of effective interventions.

Objectives: To describe 2010 surveillance data completeness and timeliness for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and primary & secondary (P&S) syphilis. 

Methods: Descriptive statistics were calculated for completeness of core demographic variables and timeliness of data transmission to CDC chlamydia, gonorrhea, and P&S syphilis surveillance data extracted from NETSS.  Completeness was measured as the proportion of cases with valid, non-missing values and timeliness as the period between date of specimen collection or diagnosis and the date the electronic case report was received by CDC.  

Results: Race/ethnicity was available for 75.8%, 80%, and 97.5% of chlamydia, gonorrhea and P&S cases, respectively.  Valid sex and age data were available for more than 99% of records.  The range of completeness among project areas was 42.3% - 99.5% for chlamydia, 54% - 100% for gonorrhea, and 66.7% - 100% for P&S syphilis. Median timeliness among project areas was 22 days for chlamydia and gonorrhea and 41 days for P&S syphilis. Timeliness ranged from 11 to 321 days.   From 2003- 2010, a general trend towards improved timeliness was seen for chlamydia and gonorrhea data, decreasing 7 and 5 days, respectively.  P&S syphilis timeliness decreased 1 day. 

Conclusions: Data on race are more frequently incomplete than any other core demographic variable.  Timeliness varied widely. Many project areas are able to collect more complete data and report more quickly than the national medians. 

Implications for Programs, Policy, and Research: Many STD prevention programs successfully submit timely, complete data.  These model programs should be encouraged to share techniques and experiences.