What type of data does passive surveillance typically rely on?

Passive surveillance relies on the collection of data from healthcare facilities without the need for active searching or additional effort from public health officials. This method involves the monitoring and recording of health events as they are reported to health authorities by healthcare providers or institutions, such as hospitals and clinics. It allows health departments to track diseases, outbreaks, and health trends using existing reports and data systems.

This approach is advantageous because it minimizes resource expenditure and can capture a wide range of health events as they occur naturally. By relying on routine reports from healthcare entities, passive surveillance can efficiently gather large volumes of data and is particularly effective in monitoring common diseases and conditions.

Other types of data collection methods, such as self-reported health comments or distributed surveys, typically involve active engagement with individuals and communities, which goes beyond the passive nature of the correct answer. Similarly, data derived from international health statistics may be valuable but do not reflect the local, real-time health events captured in passive surveillance systems.