Final answer:
Health agencies obtain data through biosurveillance, surveys/studies, and collaborations with other organizations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Health agencies obtain data about the incidence of diseases of public health importance through various methods. One common method is through the practice of biosurveillance, where hospitals, clinics, and health departments automatically report certain symptoms and diagnoses to the government each day. This helps health agencies track the spread of diseases and identify outbreaks in real-time.
Additionally, health agencies may also gather data through surveys and studies conducted in the community. These surveys can be used to gather information about risk factors, health behaviors, and prevalence of diseases.
Furthermore, health agencies often collaborate with other organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to collect and analyze data on a global scale.