About NNCSS

For Public Health

At a glance

  • The National Neurological Conditions Surveillance System (NNCSS) is the nation's only Congressionally mandated system to study the burden of neurological conditions.
  • CDC uses and shares NNCSS findings to inform research and improve health care for patients.
Friendly caregiver talking to senior woman in hallway of nursing home

What we do

CDC uses NNCSS to:

  • Estimate how many people in the United States have specific neurological conditions.
  • Identify patterns in age, location, and other factors among people diagnosed with those neurological conditions.

Our mission

To produce surveillance information to inform healthcare and public health action and research, advancing the understanding of neurological conditions and improving patient care.

Why it matters

Through NNCSS, CDC studies the prevalence, patterns, causes, and effects of neurological conditions and shares findings with the public. Healthcare and public health professionals can use these findings to:

  • Improve patient health outcomes.
  • Support families and caregivers.
  • Shape future research and health programs.

What is surveillance?

Public health surveillance is the collection, analysis, and use of data to support public health efforts.1 Studying health data at the population level helps CDC understand a problem and inform decisions to effectively address it. 

Disclaimer

All personal information is removed from data sources available to NNCSS (such as surveys, hospital records, and claims data) to protect patient privacy.

Congressional report

NNCSS's Interim Report describes initial progress to monitor neurological conditions as of 2020. CDC prepared this report to meet a requirement in NNCSS's authorizing legislation.

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Content Source:
Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology (OPHDST)
  1. Surveillance Resource Center. CDC Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology (OPHDST). Updated February 13, 2025. Accessed May 5, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/ophdst/data-research/index.html.