Implications of SARS: Medical Geography and Surveillance in Disease Detection

OBJECTIVE: To expose pharmacy educators and practitioners to concepts of medical geography and medical surveillance. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is used as a case example because it is an emerging infection and a prime example of the type of disease that pharmacists may encounter in daily practice (e.g., easily transmitted, resembles the common cold). DATA SOURCES: We retrieved data from publications related to medical geography, medical surveillance, and SARS. Data on current SARS cases in Hong Kong were obtained from the Hong Kong Department of Health Web site. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Variables regarding new cases and deaths due to SARS were evaluated. DATA SYNTHESIS: Background information on medical geography and medical surveillance was reviewed. Descriptive statistics were calculated for incidence, prevalence, and the number of deaths due to SARS in Hong Kong from March 14 to May 31, 2003. CONCLUSIONS: Emerging infections are a serious concern for both the public and healthcare practitioners. The recent global diffusion of SARS highlights the ease in which diseases can diffuse from place to place. Understanding concepts related to medical geography and medical surveillance can help pharmacists be better prepared to anticipate disease diffusion and to evaluate signs of emerging infections. In turn, this can help pharmacists be better prepared to provide information and care to their patients. The long-term benefit of understanding how diseases spread and the specific activities related to disease detection is an opportunity for expanding the scope of pharmacy practice.