The case definition used for surveillance of a health problem should always be the
same as the case definition used for clinical (treatment) purposes.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A case definition for surveillance should be clear, understandable,
acceptable, and implementable by those who are required to apply it.However, it need
not use the same criteria that are used for clinical purposes and can be broader or
narrower than a clinical definition.For example, surveillance for polio requires reporting
of all cases of acute flaccid paralysis but not all will be confirmed as polio.Similarly,
health‐care providers might treat patients on the basis of their clinical features without
laboratory confirmation, the case definition for surveillance might require laboratory
confirmation.

The Case Definition Used for Surveillance of a Health Problem