Disease surveillance in China.

In the past 10 years in China, because social conditions have been stable and the public health infrastructure has been well developed, the disease surveillance network has substantially improved. A computerized reporting system for notifiable diseases has been established that links China's 30 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. Mechanisms for providing timely feedback to units that report data and for systematically assessing the quality of those data are important attributes of this system. During this period, data from the surveillance system have become more representative, and, simultaneously, more effective use of data has been promoted. Data collected through the disease surveillance network serve as the basis for formulating health policies and devising strategies for preventing disease.