Which of the following BEST describes sentinel surveillance?
- A Mandatory reporting of notifiable diseases by all registered medical practitioners
- B Active house-to-house case finding during an outbreak
- C Surveillance conducted at selected representative sites to monitor disease trends ✓
- D Laboratory-based reporting of specific pathogens to a central registry
Correct answer: C. Surveillance conducted at selected representative sites to monitor disease trends
Explanation
Sentinel surveillance uses selected reporting sites (hospitals, clinics) that are representative of the broader population to track disease trends cost-effectively. It does not capture every case but provides reliable trend data. Option A describes statutory notification, and option B describes active case finding.
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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