Integrating Behavioral Health Into Monitoring and Surveillance During Public Health Emergencies: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Objective Limited guidance exists for public health agencies to use existing data sources to conduct monitoring and surveillance of behavioral health (BH) in the context of public health emergencies (PHEs). Methods We conducted a literature review and environmental scan to identify existing data sources, indicators, and analytic methods that could be used for BH surveillance in PHEs. We conducted exploratory analyses and interviews with public health agencies to examine the utility of a subset of these data sources for BH surveillance in the PHE context. Results Our comprehensive search revealed no existing dedicated surveillance systems to monitor BH in the context of PHEs. However, there are a few data sources designed for other purposes that public health agencies could use to conduct BH surveillance at the substate level. Some of these sources contain lagging indicators of BH impacts of PHEs. Most do not consistently collect the sociodemographic data needed to explore PHEs’ inequitable impacts on subpopulations, including at the intersection of race, gender, and age. Conclusions Public health agencies have opportunities to strengthen BH surveillance in PHEs and build partnerships to act based on timely, geographically granular existing data.