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Public Health & Epidemiology vocabulary · Surveillance and Reporting

Underreporting

Meaning in public health & epidemiology, with examples

/ˌʌndərɪˈpɔːtɪŋ/nounCommon term

In public health & epidemiology, underreporting means: The situation when the number of cases or deaths reported to health authorities is lower than the true number, for example because people do not seek care or doctors do not notify.

In Turkish: eksik bildirim, eksik raporlama

How it is used

A known weakness of passive surveillance. Analysts estimate the level of underreporting and may apply a correction factor. Also written under-reporting; the verb is underreport and the adjective underreported.

Example sentences

  1. Underreporting of foodborne illness is common because most people never see a doctor.

  2. We believe the official figures hide serious underreporting in rural areas.

Common collocations

  • underreporting of cases
  • level of underreporting
  • correct for underreporting
  • underreported cases
  • surveillanceThe continuous, systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of health data, shared in good time so that action can be taken to prevent and control disease.
  • notifiable diseaseA disease that doctors and laboratories are required by law to report to public health authorities whenever they diagnose or suspect it.
  • case fatality rateThe proportion of people diagnosed with a disease who die from it, usually within a set time, expressed as a percentage.
  • excess mortalityThe number of deaths from all causes during a period above what would normally be expected, based on earlier years.

More terms: Surveillance and Reporting

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