Public Health Nursing Practice Exam

Requirements for disease reporting in the United States are established by which authority?

1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

2. Federal laws

3. State laws and regulations

4. The World Health Organization (WHO)

The correct answer is: State laws and regulations

The correct answer highlights the role of state laws and regulations in establishing the requirements for disease reporting in the United States. Public health is primarily managed at the state level, where individual states have the authority to create and enforce regulations specific to their public health needs. This includes the establishment of laws that dictate how and when healthcare providers must report certain diseases. Each state may have its own list of reportable diseases, reporting timelines, and procedures tailored to its population and health concerns. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides guidelines and support for disease tracking and data management, the actual legal framework for reporting is grounded in state legislation. Federal laws, while important in the overarching structure of public health in the U.S., do not specifically dictate disease reporting requirements; they often provide a broader mandate or support frameworks. The World Health Organization (WHO) has a global focus and does not set disease reporting requirements specific to the U.S.; its recommendations are geared towards international standards and cooperation rather than national legislation.