[1] It also describes the study of disease rates in a specific cohort such as a geographic area or subgroup to estimate trends in a larger population.
Data collected in a well-designed sentinel system can be used to signal trends, identify outbreaks and monitor disease burden, providing a rapid, economical alternative to other surveillance methods.
[3] Sentinel systems involve a network of reporting sites, typically doctors, laboratories and public health departments.
[4] Sentinel systems collect data on Haemophilus influenzae type b, meningococcus and pneumococcus.
[5] In Santa Clara, California, researchers analyzed sentinel surveillance data from March 5–14, 2020.