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Megan Counahan

Publications and source records attributed to Megan Counahan.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Evaluating the utility of surveillance data to decision makers in Victoria, Australia.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluating the utility of surveillance data to decision makers in Victoria, Australia. METHODS: A survey of all sexually transmitted infection program directors in Victoria, Australia, was undertaken to examine readership and use of annual and quarterly reports. RESULTS: One hundred and sixteen programs in 86 organisations were identified as undertaking sexually transmitted infection control activities in Victoria. Around 17% of the directors never read the reports and others reported not finding the information contained in them useful. While we found the information generated from the surveillance system has an important role in triggering action for epidemics and pervades more general decision making by improving the general knowledge of sexually transmitted infection trends, the indicators are not seen as useful by most key stakeholders. CONCLUSIONS: Significant improvements in the utility of the system could be made by changes to the data output and key suggestions made by the stakeholders are outlined.

Decision Making, Organizational↗
PubMed2004

Invasive pneumococcal disease in Australia, 2003.

There were 2,174 cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) notified to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) in Australia in 2003; a rate of 10.9 per 100,000 population. The notification rate varied between states and territories and by geographical region with the highest rates in the north of the country. Invasive pneumococcal disease was reported most frequently in children aged less than two years (98.8 cases per 100,000 population). Enhanced surveillance for IPD in 2003 was carried out in all states and territories, providing additional data on 1,842 (85%) of all notified cases. Rates of IPD in Indigenous Australians were three times the rate in non-Indigenous Australians. There were 125 deaths attributed to IPD resulting in an overall case fatality rate of 6.8 per cent. Seventy-one percent of all pneumococcal isolates serotyped were serotypes in the seven-valent conjugate vaccine and 91 per cent were serotypes in the 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine. The clinical presentation and risk factors for IPD varied between Indigenous and non-Indigenous cases and non-vaccine serotypes occurred more frequently among Indigenous children and adults. Data from three years of surveillance indicate an early impact of the 7-valent vaccine in the target population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

The pattern of notification and testing for genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Victoria, 1998-2000: an ecological analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This ecological study analyses routinely collected chlamydia notification and testing data to investigate any patterns. METHODS: Age and sex-specific chlamydia notification and testing rates for Victoria were calculated for the period 1998 to 2000. RESULTS: Chlamydia notification and testing rates rose between 1998 and 2000. Notification rates were higher among women aged 15 to 24 years than men of the same age (p < 0.01) and higher among 25 to 44-year-olds living in metropolitan rather than rural/regional Victoria (p < 0.01). Testing rates were higher for women than men (p < 0.01) and higher in metropolitan rather than rural/regional areas (p < 0.01) in all groups except women aged 15-24 years. CONCLUSIONS: These increasing rates highlight that chlamydia infection represents a substantial public health problem. IMPLICATIONS: Although these data provide useful information showing these rates vary with age and sex, formal epidemiological prevalence and risk factor studies are required.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Invasive pneumococcal disease in Australia, 2002.

There were 2,271 cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) notified to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System in Australia in 2002; a rate of 11.5 cases per 100,000 population. The notification rate varied between states and territories and by geographical region with the highest rates in the north of the country. Invasive pneumococcal disease was reported most frequently in children aged less than five years (57.3 per 100,000 population). Enhanced surveillance for IPD in 2002 was carried out in all states and territories, providing additional data on 1,929 (85%) of all notified cases. Rates of IPD in Indigenous Australians were 2.7 times the rate in non-Indigenous Australians. The clinical presentation of IPD was most commonly pneumonia (44%) and bacteraemia (35%). There were 175 deaths attributed to IPD resulting in an overall case fatality rate of 9.2 per cent. Forty-two per cent of all cases had a recognised risk factor for IPD. Seventy-five per cent of all pneumococcal isolates serotyped were serotypes in the seven-valent conjugate vaccine and 93 per cent were serotypes in the 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine. The clinical presentation and rates of risk factors varied between Indigenous and non-Indigenous cases and non-vaccine serotypes occurred more frequently among Indigenous children and adults.

Adolescent↗