Table 1.

Definitions of surveillance system attributes.

Attributes	Definition
Simplicity	System’s structure and ease of operation
Flexibility	Ability to adapt to changing information needs or technological operating conditions with little additional time, personnel, or allocated funds
Data quality	Completeness and validity of the data recorded in the system
Acceptability	Willingness of persons and organizations to participate in the system
Representativeness	Ability to accurately describe the occurrence of a health-related event over time and its distribution in the population by place and person
Timeliness	Speed between steps in a system