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Ning S, Hussain A, Wang Q. Incorporating connectivity among Internet search data for enhanced influenza-like illness tracking. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305579. [PMID: 39186560 PMCID: PMC11346739 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Big data collected from the Internet possess great potential to reveal the ever-changing trends in society. In particular, accurate infectious disease tracking with Internet data has grown in popularity, providing invaluable information for public health decision makers and the general public. However, much of the complex connectivity among the Internet search data is not effectively addressed among existing disease tracking frameworks. To this end, we propose ARGO-C (Augmented Regression with Clustered GOogle data), an integrative, statistically principled approach that incorporates the clustering structure of Internet search data to enhance the accuracy and interpretability of disease tracking. Focusing on multi-resolution %ILI (influenza-like illness) tracking, we demonstrate the improved performance and robustness of ARGO-C over benchmark methods at various geographical resolutions. We also highlight the adaptability of ARGO-C to track various diseases in addition to influenza, and to track other social or economic trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoyang Ning
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Williams College, Williamstown, MA, United States of America
| | - Ahmed Hussain
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Williams College, Williamstown, MA, United States of America
| | - Qing Wang
- Department of Mathematics, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, United States of America
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Valerio MGP, Laher B, Phuka J, Lichand G, Paolotti D, Leal Neto O. Participatory Disease Surveillance for the Early Detection of Cholera-Like Diarrheal Disease Outbreaks in Rural Villages in Malawi: Prospective Cohort Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2024; 10:e49539. [PMID: 39012690 PMCID: PMC11289577 DOI: 10.2196/49539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cholera-like diarrheal disease (CLDD) outbreaks are complex and influenced by environmental factors, socioeconomic conditions, and population dynamics, leading to limitations in traditional surveillance methods. In Malawi, cholera is considered an endemic disease. Its epidemiological profile is characterized by seasonal patterns, often coinciding with the rainy season when contamination of water sources is more likely. However, the outbreak that began in March 2022 has extended to the dry season, with deaths reported in all 29 districts. It is considered the worst outbreak in the past 10 years. OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of participatory surveillance (PS) using interactive voice response (IVR) technology for the early detection of CLDD outbreaks in Malawi. METHODS This longitudinal cohort study followed 740 households in rural settings in Malawi for 24 weeks. The survey tool was designed to have 10 symptom questions collected every week. The proxies' rationale was related to exanthematic, ictero-hemorragica for endemic diseases or events, diarrhea and respiratory/targeting acute diseases or events, and diarrhea and respiratory/targeting seasonal diseases or events. This work will focus only on the CLDD as a proxy for gastroenteritis and cholera. In this study, CLDD was defined as cases where reports indicated diarrhea combined with either fever or vomiting/nausea. RESULTS During the study period, our data comprised 16,280 observations, with an average weekly participation rate of 35%. Maganga TA had the highest average of completed calls, at 144.83 (SD 10.587), while Ndindi TA had an average of 123.66 (SD 13.176) completed calls. Our findings demonstrate that this method might be effective in identifying CLDD with a notable and consistent signal captured over time (R2=0.681404). Participation rates were slightly higher at the beginning of the study and decreased over time, thanks to the sensitization activities rolled out at the CBCCs level. In terms of the attack rates for CLDD, we observed similar rates between Maganga TA and Ndindi TA, at 16% and 15%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS PS has proven to be valuable for the early detection of epidemics. IVR technology is a promising approach for disease surveillance in rural villages in Africa, where access to health care and traditional disease surveillance methods may be limited. This study highlights the feasibility and potential of IVR technology for the timely and comprehensive reporting of disease incidence, symptoms, and behaviors in resource-limited settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Beverly Laher
- Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - John Phuka
- Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Guilherme Lichand
- Graduate School of Education, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | | | - Onicio Leal Neto
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
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Haque S, Mengersen K, Barr I, Wang L, Yang W, Vardoulakis S, Bambrick H, Hu W. Towards development of functional climate-driven early warning systems for climate-sensitive infectious diseases: Statistical models and recommendations. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 249:118568. [PMID: 38417659 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Climate, weather and environmental change have significantly influenced patterns of infectious disease transmission, necessitating the development of early warning systems to anticipate potential impacts and respond in a timely and effective way. Statistical modelling plays a pivotal role in understanding the intricate relationships between climatic factors and infectious disease transmission. For example, time series regression modelling and spatial cluster analysis have been employed to identify risk factors and predict spatial and temporal patterns of infectious diseases. Recently advanced spatio-temporal models and machine learning offer an increasingly robust framework for modelling uncertainty, which is essential in climate-driven disease surveillance due to the dynamic and multifaceted nature of the data. Moreover, Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques, including deep learning and neural networks, excel in capturing intricate patterns and hidden relationships within climate and environmental data sets. Web-based data has emerged as a powerful complement to other datasets encompassing climate variables and disease occurrences. However, given the complexity and non-linearity of climate-disease interactions, advanced techniques are required to integrate and analyse these diverse data to obtain more accurate predictions of impending outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics. This article presents an overview of an approach to creating climate-driven early warning systems with a focus on statistical model suitability and selection, along with recommendations for utilizing spatio-temporal and machine learning techniques. By addressing the limitations and embracing the recommendations for future research, we could enhance preparedness and response strategies, ultimately contributing to the safeguarding of public health in the face of evolving climate challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shovanur Haque
- Ecosystem Change and Population Health Research Group, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Kerrie Mengersen
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia; Centre for Data Science (CDS), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia
| | - Ian Barr
- World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, VIDRL, Doherty Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Liping Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Division of Infectious disease, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, China
| | - Weizhong Yang
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Sotiris Vardoulakis
- HEAL Global Research Centre, Health Research Institute, University of Canberra, ACT Canberra, 2601, Australia
| | - Hilary Bambrick
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, ACT 2601 Canberra, Australia
| | - Wenbiao Hu
- Ecosystem Change and Population Health Research Group, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
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Gertz A, Rader B, Sewalk K, Varrelman TJ, Smolinski M, Brownstein JS. Decreased Seasonal Influenza Rates Detected in a Crowdsourced Influenza-Like Illness Surveillance System During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Prospective Cohort Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2023; 9:e40216. [PMID: 38153782 PMCID: PMC10784978 DOI: 10.2196/40216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seasonal respiratory viruses had lower incidence during their 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons, which overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic. The widespread implementation of precautionary measures to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has been seen to also mitigate transmission of seasonal influenza. The COVID-19 pandemic also led to changes in care seeking and access. Participatory surveillance systems have historically captured mild illnesses that are often missed by surveillance systems that rely on encounters with a health care provider for detection. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess if a crowdsourced syndromic surveillance system capable of detecting mild influenza-like illness (ILI) also captured the globally observed decrease in ILI in the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 influenza seasons, concurrent with the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Flu Near You (FNY) is a web-based participatory syndromic surveillance system that allows participants in the United States to report their health information using a brief weekly survey. Reminder emails are sent to registered FNY participants to report on their symptoms and the symptoms of household members. Guest participants may also report. ILI was defined as fever and sore throat or fever and cough. ILI rates were determined as the number of ILI reports over the total number of reports and assessed for the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020, and 2020-2021 influenza seasons. Baseline season (2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019) rates were compared to the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 influenza seasons. Self-reported influenza diagnosis and vaccination status were captured and assessed as the total number of reported events over the total number of reports submitted. CIs for all proportions were calculated via a 1-sample test of proportions. RESULTS ILI was detected in 3.8% (32,239/848,878) of participants in the baseline seasons (2016-2019), 2.58% (7418/287,909) in the 2019-2020 season, and 0.27% (546/201,079) in the 2020-2021 season. Both influenza seasons that overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic had lower ILI rates than the baseline seasons. ILI decline was observed during the months with widespread implementation of COVID-19 precautions, starting in February 2020. Self-reported influenza diagnoses decreased from early 2020 through the influenza season. Self-reported influenza positivity among ILI cases varied over the observed time period. Self-reported influenza vaccination rates in FNY were high across all observed seasons. CONCLUSIONS A decrease in ILI was detected in the crowdsourced FNY surveillance system during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 influenza seasons, mirroring trends observed in other influenza surveillance systems. Specifically, the months within seasons that overlapped with widespread pandemic precautions showed decreases in ILI and confirmed influenza. Concerns persist regarding respiratory pathogens re-emerging with changes to COVID-19 guidelines. Traditional surveillance is subject to changes in health care behaviors. Systems like FNY are uniquely situated to detect disease across disease severity and care seeking, providing key insights during public health emergencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Autumn Gertz
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Benjamin Rader
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kara Sewalk
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Tanner J Varrelman
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - John S Brownstein
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Tseng YJ, Olson KL, Bloch D, Mandl KD. Engaging a national-scale cohort of smart thermometer users in participatory surveillance. NPJ Digit Med 2023; 6:175. [PMID: 37730764 PMCID: PMC10511532 DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00917-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Participatory surveillance systems crowdsource individual reports to rapidly assess population health phenomena. The value of these systems increases when more people join and persistently contribute. We examine the level of and factors associated with engagement in participatory surveillance among a retrospective, national-scale cohort of individuals using smartphone-connected thermometers with a companion app that allows them to report demographic and symptom information. Between January 1, 2020 and October 29, 2022, 1,325,845 participants took 20,617,435 temperature readings, yielding 3,529,377 episodes of consecutive readings. There were 1,735,805 (49.2%) episodes with self-reported symptoms (including reports of no symptoms). Compared to before the pandemic, participants were more likely to report their symptoms during pandemic waves, especially after the winter wave began (September 13, 2020) (OR across pandemic periods range from 3.0 to 4.0). Further, symptoms were more likely to be reported during febrile episodes (OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 2.6-2.6), and for new participants, during their first episode (OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 2.4-2.5). Compared with participants aged 50-65 years old, participants over 65 years were less likely to report their symptoms (OR = 0.3, 95% CI = 0.3-0.3). Participants in a household with both adults and children (OR = 1.6 [1.6-1.7]) were more likely to report symptoms. We find that the use of smart thermometers with companion apps facilitates the collection of data on a large, national scale, and provides real time insight into transmissible disease phenomena. Nearly half of individuals using these devices are willing to report their symptoms after taking their temperature, although participation varies among individuals and over pandemic stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ju Tseng
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Computer Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Karen L Olson
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Kenneth D Mandl
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Mellor J, Overton CE, Fyles M, Chawner L, Baxter J, Baird T, Ward T. Understanding the leading indicators of hospital admissions from COVID-19 across successive waves in the UK. Epidemiol Infect 2023; 151:e172. [PMID: 37664991 PMCID: PMC10600913 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268823001449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Following the end of universal testing in the UK, hospital admissions are a key measure of COVID-19 pandemic pressure. Understanding leading indicators of admissions at the National Health Service (NHS) Trust, regional and national geographies help health services plan for ongoing pressures. We explored the spatio-temporal relationships of leading indicators of hospitalisations across SARS-CoV-2 waves in England. This analysis includes an evaluation of internet search volumes from Google Trends, NHS triage calls and online queries, the NHS COVID-19 app, lateral flow devices (LFDs), and the ZOE app. Data sources were analysed for their feasibility as leading indicators using Granger causality, cross-correlation, and dynamic time warping at fine spatial scales. Google Trends and NHS triages consistently temporally led admissions in most locations, with lead times ranging from 5 to 20 days, whereas an inconsistent relationship was found for the ZOE app, NHS COVID-19 app, and LFD testing, which diminished with spatial resolution, showing cross-correlation of leads between -7 and 7 days. The results indicate that novel surveillance sources can be used effectively to understand the expected healthcare burden within hospital administrative areas though the temporal and spatial heterogeneity of these relationships is a key determinant of their operational public health utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathon Mellor
- UK Health Security Agency, Data, Analytics and Surveillance, Nobel House, London, UK
| | - Christopher E Overton
- UK Health Security Agency, Data, Analytics and Surveillance, Nobel House, London, UK
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Department of Mathematics, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Martyn Fyles
- UK Health Security Agency, Data, Analytics and Surveillance, Nobel House, London, UK
- Department of Mathematics, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Liam Chawner
- UK Health Security Agency, Data, Analytics and Surveillance, Nobel House, London, UK
| | - James Baxter
- UK Health Security Agency, Data, Analytics and Surveillance, Nobel House, London, UK
| | - Tarrion Baird
- UK Health Security Agency, Data, Analytics and Surveillance, Nobel House, London, UK
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Thomas Ward
- UK Health Security Agency, Data, Analytics and Surveillance, Nobel House, London, UK
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Luca M, Campedelli GM, Centellegher S, Tizzoni M, Lepri B. Crime, inequality and public health: a survey of emerging trends in urban data science. Front Big Data 2023; 6:1124526. [PMID: 37303974 PMCID: PMC10248183 DOI: 10.3389/fdata.2023.1124526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Urban agglomerations are constantly and rapidly evolving ecosystems, with globalization and increasing urbanization posing new challenges in sustainable urban development well summarized in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The advent of the digital age generated by modern alternative data sources provides new tools to tackle these challenges with spatio-temporal scales that were previously unavailable with census statistics. In this review, we present how new digital data sources are employed to provide data-driven insights to study and track (i) urban crime and public safety; (ii) socioeconomic inequalities and segregation; and (iii) public health, with a particular focus on the city scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Luca
- Mobile and Social Computing Lab, Bruno Kessler Foundation, Trento, Italy
- Faculty of Computer Science, Free University of Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | | | | | - Michele Tizzoni
- Department of Sociology and Social Research, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Bruno Lepri
- Mobile and Social Computing Lab, Bruno Kessler Foundation, Trento, Italy
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Jang B, Kim I, Kim JW. Long-Term Influenza Outbreak Forecast Using Time-Precedence Correlation of Web Data. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL NETWORKS AND LEARNING SYSTEMS 2023; 34:2400-2412. [PMID: 34469319 DOI: 10.1109/tnnls.2021.3106637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Influenza leads to many deaths every year and is a threat to human health. For effective prevention, traditional national-scale statistical surveillance systems have been developed, and numerous studies have been conducted to predict influenza outbreaks using web data. Most studies have captured the short-term signs of influenza outbreaks, such as one-week prediction using the characteristics of web data uploaded in real time; however, long-term predictions of more than 2-10 weeks are required to effectively cope with influenza outbreaks. In this study, we determined that web data uploaded in real time have a time-precedence relationship with influenza outbreaks. For example, a few weeks before an influenza pandemic, the word "colds" appears frequently in web data. The web data after the appearance of the word "colds" can be used as information for forecasting future influenza outbreaks, which can improve long-term influenza prediction accuracy. In this study, we propose a novel long-term influenza outbreak forecast model utilizing the time precedence between the emergence of web data and an influenza outbreak. Based on the proposed model, we conducted experiments on: 1) selecting suitable web data for long-term influenza prediction; 2) determining whether the proposed model is regionally dependent; and 3) evaluating the accuracy according to the prediction timeframe. The proposed model showed a correlation of 0.87 in the long-term prediction of ten weeks while significantly outperforming other state-of-the-art methods.
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Kolb JJ, Radin JM, Quer G, Rose AH, Pandit JA, Wiedermann M. Prevalence of Positive COVID-19 Test Results Collected by Digital Self-report in the US and Germany. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2253800. [PMID: 36719683 PMCID: PMC9890282 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.53800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
This cohort study examines traditional surveillance and self-reported COVID-19 test result data collected from independent smartphone app–based studies in the US and Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Giorgio Quer
- Scripps Research Translational Institute, La Jolla, California
| | | | - Jay A. Pandit
- Scripps Research Translational Institute, La Jolla, California
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Swaciak M, Popp Z, Gertz A, Sewalk K, Schultheiss M, Rader B, Brownstein JS. Longitudinal Participatory Surveillance Highlights Association Between Mask-Wearing and Lower COVID-19 Risk - United States, 2020. China CDC Wkly 2022; 4:1169-1175. [PMID: 36779175 PMCID: PMC9906045 DOI: 10.46234/ccdcw2022.235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/14/2023] Open
Abstract
What is already known about this topic? Numerous ecological and laboratory studies suggest face masks are an effective non-pharmaceutical intervention for reducing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but cannot otherwise assess individual-level effects. What is added by this report? Using a prospective cohort of individuals enrolled in a participatory, syndromic surveillance tool prior to the first case of COVID-19 in the United States, we present a novel longitudinal assessment of the effectiveness of face masks. What are the public health implications for public health practice? Our analysis demonstrates an association between self-reported mask-wearing behavior and lower individual risk of syndromic COVID-19-like illness while adjusting for confounders at the individual level. Our results also highlight the dual utility of participatory syndromic surveillance systems as both disease trend monitors and tools that can aid in understanding the effectiveness of personal protective measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makayla Swaciak
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zachary Popp
- Boston University School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Autumn Gertz
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kara Sewalk
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Benjamin Rader
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John S. Brownstein
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Kewprasopsak T, Singhapreecha C, Yano T, Doluschitz R. A long-term negative effect of monetary incentives on the participatory surveillance of animal disease: a pilot study in Chiang Mai, Thailand. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:2454. [PMID: 36581818 PMCID: PMC9798560 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-14837-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In general, animal diseases have a significant impact on public health; accordingly, an effective animal disease surveillance system is an important control system that requires efficient and engaging participants in the long run. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of monetary and social motivation on animal disease surveillance. We hypothesized that there are two sorts of motivation based on Fiske's relational theory (1992): monetary incentives (monetary markets) and nonmonetary incentives (social markets). METHODS In Chiang Mai Province, Northern Thailand, we analyzed data from a pilot project that began in 2014 and used a mobile application to report on signs that identify animal health problems. A total of 67 participants from 17 different areas in the central part of the province participated in this study. Participants in this study were divided into two groups: those who received monetary incentives and those who received social incentives. RESULTS According to the findings, the monetary market group's effort was significantly higher than that of the social market group during the time when the volunteers in the monetary market group were paid. However, in the long run, the monetary market group reported significantly less than the social market group. Social incentive, on the other hand, was more efficient once the payment period ended. CONCLUSIONS Social incentive outperformed monetary motivation in terms of efficiency and sustainability in the long run. Not only did the volunteers who were offered monetary incentive put in less effort than those who were offered the social incentive, but they were also not remotivated by the social incentive after the payment period had ended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tossapond Kewprasopsak
- Department of Farm Management, Division of Computer Applications and Business Management in Agriculture (410 c), University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.,Faculty of Economics, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.,Center of Excellence in Econometrics, Faculty of Economics, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | | | - Terdsak Yano
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand. .,Integrative Research Center for Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinay Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
| | - Reiner Doluschitz
- Department of Farm Management, Division of Computer Applications and Business Management in Agriculture (410 c), University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
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Meankaew P, Lawpoolsri S, Piyaphanee W, Wansatid P, Chaovalit P, Lawawirojwong S, Kaewkungwal J. Cross-platform mobile app development for disseminating public health information to travelers in Thailand: development and usability. Trop Dis Travel Med Vaccines 2022; 8:17. [PMID: 35836261 PMCID: PMC9282896 DOI: 10.1186/s40794-022-00174-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The risk of disease is a key factor that travelers have identified when planning to travel abroad, as many people are concerned about getting sick. Mobile devices can be an effective means for travelers to access information regarding disease prevalence in their planned destinations, potentially reducing the risk of exposure. Methods We developed a mobile app, ThaiEpidemics, using cross-platform technology to provide information about disease prevalence and status for travelers to Thailand. We aimed to assess the app’s usability in terms of engagement, search logs, and effectiveness among target users. The app was developed using the principle of mobile application development life cycle, for both iOS and Android. As its data source, the app used weekly data from national disease-surveillance reports. We conduced our study among visitors to the Travel Clinic in the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. The participants were informed that the app would collect usage and search logs related to their queries. After the second log-in, the app prompted participants to complete an e-survey regarding their opinions and preferences related to their awareness of disease prevalence and status. Results We based our prototype of ThaiEpidemics on a conceptualized framework for visualizing the distribution of 14 major diseases of concern to tourists in Southeast Asia. The app provided users with functions and features to search for and visualize disease prevalence and status in Thailand. The participants could access information for their current location and elsewhere in the country. In all, 83 people installed the app, and 52 responded to the e-survey. Regardless of age, education, and continent of origin, almost all e-survey respondents believed the app had raised their awareness of disease prevalence and status when travelling. Most participants searched for information for all 14 diseases; some searched for information specifically about dengue and malaria. Conclusions ThaiEpidemics is evidently potentially useful for travelers. Should the app be adopted for use by travelers to Thailand, it could have an impact on wider knowledge distribution, which might result in decreased exposure, increased prophylaxis, and therefore a potential decreased burden on the healthcare system. For app developers who are developing/implementing this kind of app, it is important to address standardization of the data source and users’ concerns about the confidentiality and safety of their mobile devices.
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Sensor-based surveillance for digitising real-time COVID-19 tracking in the USA (DETECT): a multivariable, population-based, modelling study. Lancet Digit Health 2022; 4:e777-e786. [PMID: 36154810 PMCID: PMC9499390 DOI: 10.1016/s2589-7500(22)00156-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background Traditional viral illness surveillance relies on in-person clinical or laboratory data, paper-based data collection, and outdated technology for data transfer and aggregation. We aimed to assess whether continuous sensor data can provide an early warning signal for COVID-19 activity as individual physiological and behavioural changes might precede symptom onset, care seeking, and diagnostic testing. Methods This multivariable, population-based, modelling study recruited adult (aged ≥18 years) participants living in the USA who had a smartwatch or fitness tracker on any device that connected to Apple HealthKit or Google Fit and had joined the DETECT study by downloading the MyDataHelps app. In the model development cohort, we included people who had participated in DETECT between April 1, 2020, and Jan 14, 2022. In the validation cohort, we included individuals who had participated between Jan 15 and Feb 15, 2022. When a participant joins DETECT, they fill out an intake survey of demographic information, including their ZIP code (postal code), and surveys on symptoms, symptom onset, and viral illness test dates and results, if they become unwell. When a participant connects their device, historical sensor data are collected, if available. Sensor data continue to be collected unless a participant withdraws from the study. Using sensor data, we collected each participant's daily resting heart rate and step count during the entire study period and identified anomalous sensor days, in which resting heart rate was higher than, and step count was lower than, a specified threshold calculated for each individual by use of their baseline data. The proportion of users with anomalous data each day was used to create a 7-day moving average. For the main cohort, a negative binomial model predicting 7-day moving averages for COVID-19 case counts, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in real time, 6 days in the future, and 12 days in the future in the USA and California was fitted with CDC-reported data from 3 days before alone (H0) or in combination with anomalous sensor data (H1). We compared the predictions with Pearson correlation. We then validated the model in the validation cohort. Findings Between April 1, 2020, and Jan 14, 2022, 35 842 participants enrolled in DETECT, of whom 4006 in California and 28 527 in the USA were included in our main cohort. The H1 model significantly outperformed the H0 model in predicting the 7-day moving average COVID-19 case counts in California and the USA. For example, Pearson correlation coefficients for predictions 12 days in the future increased by 32·9% in California (from 0·70 [95% CI 0·65–0·73] to 0·93 [0·92–0·94]) and by 12·2% (from 0·82 [0·79–0·84] to 0·92 [0·91–0·93]) in the USA from the H0 model to the H1 model. Our validation model also showed significant correlations for predictions in real time, 6 days in the future, and 12 days in the future. Interpretation Our study showed that passively collected sensor data from consenting participants can provide real-time disease tracking and forecasting. With a growing population of wearable technology users, these sensor data could be integrated into viral surveillance programmes. Funding The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the US National Institutes of Health, The Rockefeller Foundation, and Amazon Web Services.
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14
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Harvey EP, Trent JA, Mackenzie F, Turnbull SM, O’Neale DR. Calculating incidence of Influenza-like and COVID-like symptoms from Flutracking participatory survey data. MethodsX 2022; 9:101820. [PMID: 35993031 PMCID: PMC9381980 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2022.101820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This article describes a new method for estimating weekly incidence (new onset) of symptoms consistent with Influenza and COVID-19, using data from the Flutracking survey. The method mitigates some of the known self-selection and symptom-reporting biases present in existing approaches to this type of participatory longitudinal survey data. The key novel steps in the analysis are: 1) Identifying new onset of symptoms for three different Symptom Groupings: COVID-like illness (CLI1+, CLI2+), and Influenza-like illness (ILI), for responses reported in the Flutracking survey. 2) Adjusting for symptom reporting bias by restricting the analysis to a sub-set of responses from those participants who have consistently responded for a number of weeks prior to the analysis week. 3) Weighting responses by age to adjust for self-selection bias in order to account for the under- and over-representation of different age groups amongst the survey participants. This uses the survey package [22] in R [30]. 4) Constructing 95% point-wise confidence bands for incidence estimates using weighted logistic regression from the survey package [21] in R [28]. In addition to describing these steps, the article demonstrates an application of this method to Flutracking data for the 12 months from 27th April 2020 until 25th April 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily P. Harvey
- COVID Modelling Aotearoa, The University of Auckland, 38 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- Te Pūnaha Matatini, The University of Auckland, 38 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- M.E. Research, Takapuna, Auckland 0622, New Zealand
- Department of Physics, The University of Auckland, 38 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- Corresponding author at: COVID Modelling Aotearoa, The University of Auckland, 38 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.
| | - Joel A. Trent
- COVID Modelling Aotearoa, The University of Auckland, 38 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- Department of Physics, The University of Auckland, 38 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- Department of Engineering Science, The University of Auckland, 70 Symonds Street, Grafton, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Frank Mackenzie
- COVID Modelling Aotearoa, The University of Auckland, 38 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- Department of Physics, The University of Auckland, 38 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Steven M. Turnbull
- COVID Modelling Aotearoa, The University of Auckland, 38 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- Te Pūnaha Matatini, The University of Auckland, 38 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- Department of Physics, The University of Auckland, 38 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Dion R.J. O’Neale
- COVID Modelling Aotearoa, The University of Auckland, 38 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- Te Pūnaha Matatini, The University of Auckland, 38 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- Department of Physics, The University of Auckland, 38 Princes Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
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15
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Morgan OW, Abdelmalik P, Perez-Gutierrez E, Fall IS, Kato M, Hamblion E, Matsui T, Nabeth P, Pebody R, Pukkila J, Stephan M, Ihekweazu C. How better pandemic and epidemic intelligence will prepare the world for future threats. Nat Med 2022; 28:1526-1528. [PMID: 35764683 PMCID: PMC9243925 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-022-01900-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Oliver W Morgan
- WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Philip Abdelmalik
- WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Ibrahima Socé Fall
- Division for Emergency Response, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Masaya Kato
- WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, New Delhi, India
| | - Esther Hamblion
- Division for Emergency Response, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Tamano Matsui
- WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines
| | - Pierre Nabeth
- WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | | | - Mary Stephan
- WHO Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Chikwe Ihekweazu
- WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, Berlin, Germany
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16
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Weir JL, Vacura K, Bagga J, Berland A, Hyder K, Skov C, Attby J, Venturelli PA. Big data from a popular app reveals that fishing creates superhighways for aquatic invaders. PNAS NEXUS 2022; 1:pgac075. [PMID: 36741432 PMCID: PMC9896924 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Human activities are the leading cause of biological invasions that cause ecologic and economic damage around the world. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are often spread by recreational anglers who visit two or more bodies of water within a short time frame. Movement data from anglers are, therefore, critical to predicting, preventing, and monitoring the spread of AIS. However, the lack of broad-scale movement data has restricted efforts to large and popular lakes or small geographic extents. Here, we show that recreational fishing apps are an abundant, convenient, and relatively comprehensive source of "big" movement data across the contiguous United States. Our analyses revealed a dense network of angler movements that was dramatically more interconnected and extensive than the network that is formed naturally by rivers and streams. Short-distanced movements by anglers combined to form invasion superhighways that spanned the contiguous United States. We also identified possible invasion fronts and invaded hub lakes that may be superspreaders for two relatively common aquatic invaders. Our results provide unique insight into the national network through which AIS may be spread, increase opportunities for interjurisdictional coordination that is essential to addressing the problem of AIS, and highlight the important role that anglers can play in providing accurate data and preventing invasions. The advantages of mobile devices as both sources of data and a means of engaging the public in their shared responsibility to prevent invasions are probably general to all forms of tourism and recreation that contribute to the spread of invasive species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Weir
- Department of Biology, Ball State University, Muncie 47306, IN, USA
| | - Kirsten Vacura
- Department of Biology, Ball State University, Muncie 47306, IN, USA
| | - Jay Bagga
- Department of Computer Science, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306, USA
| | - Adam Berland
- Department of Geography, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306, USA
| | - Kieran Hyder
- Center for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT, UK
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Christian Skov
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Silkeborg 8600, Denmark
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17
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Smartphone apps in the COVID-19 pandemic. Nat Biotechnol 2022; 40:1013-1022. [PMID: 35726090 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-022-01350-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, analog tools such as nasopharyngeal swabs for PCR tests were center stage and the major prevention tactics of masking and physical distancing were a throwback to the 1918 influenza pandemic. Overall, there has been scant regard for digital tools, particularly those based on smartphone apps, which is surprising given the ubiquity of smartphones across the globe. Smartphone apps, given accessibility in the time of physical distancing, were widely used for tracking, tracing and educating the public about COVID-19. Despite limitations, such as concerns around data privacy, data security, digital health illiteracy and structural inequities, there is ample evidence that apps are beneficial for understanding outbreak epidemiology, individual screening and contact tracing. While there were successes and failures in each category, outbreak epidemiology and individual screening were substantially enhanced by the reach of smartphone apps and accessory wearables. Continued use of apps within the digital infrastructure promises to provide an important tool for rigorous investigation of outcomes both in the ongoing outbreak and in future epidemics.
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18
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Tan YR, Agrawal A, Matsoso MP, Katz R, Davis SLM, Winkler AS, Huber A, Joshi A, El-Mohandes A, Mellado B, Mubaira CA, Canlas FC, Asiki G, Khosa H, Lazarus JV, Choisy M, Recamonde-Mendoza M, Keiser O, Okwen P, English R, Stinckwich S, Kiwuwa-Muyingo S, Kutadza T, Sethi T, Mathaha T, Nguyen VK, Gill A, Yap P. A call for citizen science in pandemic preparedness and response: beyond data collection. BMJ Glob Health 2022; 7:e009389. [PMID: 35760438 PMCID: PMC9237878 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-009389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the need to partner with the community in pandemic preparedness and response in order to enable trust-building among stakeholders, which is key in pandemic management. Citizen science, defined here as a practice of public participation and collaboration in all aspects of scientific research to increase knowledge and build trust with governments and researchers, is a crucial approach to promoting community engagement. By harnessing the potential of digitally enabled citizen science, one could translate data into accessible, comprehensible and actionable outputs at the population level. The application of citizen science in health has grown over the years, but most of these approaches remain at the level of participatory data collection. This narrative review examines citizen science approaches in participatory data generation, modelling and visualisation, and calls for truly participatory and co-creation approaches across all domains of pandemic preparedness and response. Further research is needed to identify approaches that optimally generate short-term and long-term value for communities participating in population health. Feasible, sustainable and contextualised citizen science approaches that meaningfully engage affected communities for the long-term will need to be inclusive of all populations and their cultures, comprehensive of all domains, digitally enabled and viewed as a key component to allow trust-building among the stakeholders. The impact of COVID-19 on people's lives has created an opportune time to advance people's agency in science, particularly in pandemic preparedness and response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Roe Tan
- International Digital Health & AI Research Collaborative (I-DAIR), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anurag Agrawal
- Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, Sonepath, Haryana, India
| | - Malebona Precious Matsoso
- Pharmacy & Pharmacology, University of Witwatersrand, Member of IPPPR, Johannesburg-Braamfontein, South Africa
| | - Rebecca Katz
- Center for Global Health Science and Security, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Sara L M Davis
- Global Health Centre, Graduate Institute Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Sylvia Winkler
- Center for Global Health, Department of Neurology, Technical University of Munich, Munchen, Germany
- Centre for Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Annalena Huber
- Center for Global Health, Department of Neurology, Technical University of Munich, Munchen, Germany
| | - Ashish Joshi
- Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ayman El-Mohandes
- Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Bruce Mellado
- School of Physics and Institute for Collider Particle Physics, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Subatomic Physics, iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator Based Sciences, Somerset West, South Africa
| | | | | | - Gershim Asiki
- African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Harjyot Khosa
- International Planned Parenthood Federation, New Delhi, India
| | - Jeffrey Victor Lazarus
- Hospital Cliínic, University of Barcelona, Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc Choisy
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Univerity of Oxford Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi MInh, Viet Nam
| | - Mariana Recamonde-Mendoza
- Institute of Informatics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Bioinformatics Core, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Olivia Keiser
- Institute of Global Health, Universite de Geneve, Geneva, GE, Switzerland
| | | | - Rene English
- Division of Health Systems and Public Health, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| | | | | | - Tariro Kutadza
- Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+), Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Tavpritesh Sethi
- Computational Biology, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Thuso Mathaha
- School of Physics and Institute for Collider Particle Physics, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Vinh Kim Nguyen
- Global Health Centre, Graduate Institute Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Amandeep Gill
- International Digital Health & AI Research Collaborative (I-DAIR), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Peiling Yap
- International Digital Health & AI Research Collaborative (I-DAIR), Geneva, Switzerland
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19
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Jahja M, Chin A, Tibshirani RJ. Real-Time Estimation of COVID-19 Infections: Deconvolution and Sensor Fusion. Stat Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1214/22-sts856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Jahja
- Maria Jahja is Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Statistics & Data Science, Machine Learning Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrew Chin
- Andrew Chin is Statistical Developer, Machine Learning Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ryan J. Tibshirani
- Ryan J. Tibshirani is Professor, Department of Statistics & Data Science, Machine Learning Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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20
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Ethical Issues in AI-Enabled Disease Surveillance: Perspectives from Global Health. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12083890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases, as COVID-19 is proving, pose a global health threat in an interconnected world. In the last 20 years, resistant infectious diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), H1N1 influenza (swine flu), Ebola virus, Zika virus, and now COVID-19 have been impacting global health defences, and aggressively flourishing with the rise of global travel, urbanization, climate change, and ecological degradation. In parallel, this extraordinary episode in global human health highlights the potential for artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled disease surveillance to collect and analyse vast amounts of unstructured and real-time data to inform epidemiological and public health emergency responses. The uses of AI in these dynamic environments are increasingly complex, challenging the potential for human autonomous decisions. In this context, our study of qualitative perspectives will consider a responsible AI framework to explore its potential application to disease surveillance in a global health context. Thus far, there is a gap in the literature in considering these multiple and interconnected levels of disease surveillance and emergency health management through the lens of a responsible AI framework.
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21
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McNeil C, Verlander S, Divi N, Smolinski M. Straight from the source: Landscape of Participatory Surveillance Systems across the One Health Spectrum (Preprint). JMIR Public Health Surveill 2022; 8:e38551. [PMID: 35930345 PMCID: PMC9391976 DOI: 10.2196/38551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nomita Divi
- Ending Pandemics, San Francisco, CA, United States
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22
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Dickmann P, Strahwald B. [A new understanding of risk communication in public health emergencies]. Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz 2022; 65:545-551. [PMID: 35376977 PMCID: PMC8978486 DOI: 10.1007/s00103-022-03529-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Die Risikokommunikation öffentlicher Institutionen soll die Bevölkerung im Falle bestehender Risiken bei der Entscheidungsfindung unterstützen. In gesundheitlichen Notlagen wie der Coronavirus(SARS-CoV-2)-Pandemie spielt sie eine besonders wichtige Rolle. Bereits nach dem SARS-Ausbruch im Jahr 2003 hat die Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) ihre Internationalen Gesundheitsvorschriften (IHR 2005) überarbeitet und gefordert, Risikokommunikation in allen Mitgliedsländern als einen Kernbereich in der Gesundheitspolitik zu etablieren. Während der gesundheitspolitische Akzent begrüßt wurde, konnten die Möglichkeiten der Risikokommunikation in diesem Bereich bisher nicht voll ausgeschöpft werden. Gründe sind u. a. Unstimmigkeiten im Begriffsverständnis der Risikokommunikation und die Vielzahl zur Verfügung stehender Methoden. Der vorliegende Diskussionsartikel soll dazu beitragen, ein neues Verständnis von Risikokommunikation in Public-Health-Notlagen (Emergency Risk Communication – ERC) zu etablieren. Es wird vorgeschlagen, neben den Risiken die Chancen der Krise stärker einzubeziehen und Risikokommunikation noch mehr als einen kontinuierlichen Prozess zu begreifen, der an verschiedenen Stellen optimierbar ist. Der Earlier-Faster-Smoother-Smarter-Ansatz und hierbei insbesondere die frühere Erkennung von Gesundheitsgefahren (Earlier) könnten das Management von Public-Health-Notlagen zukünftig unterstützen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Dickmann
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie und Intensivmedizin - Public Health Hub, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Deutschland.
| | - Brigitte Strahwald
- Pettenkofer School of Public Health, Institut für medizinische Informationsverarbeitung, Biometrie und Epidemiologie - IBE, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Deutschland
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23
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Sood SK, Rawat KS, Kumar D. Analytical mapping of information and communication technology in emerging infectious diseases using CiteSpace. TELEMATICS AND INFORMATICS 2022; 69:101796. [PMID: 35282387 PMCID: PMC8901238 DOI: 10.1016/j.tele.2022.101796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of severe infectious diseases has become a major global health concern. Currently, the COVID-19 outbreak has spread across the world and has created an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. The proliferation of novel viruses has put traditional health systems under immense pressure and posed several serious issues. Henceforth, early detection, identification, rapid testing, and advanced surveillance systems are required to address public health emergencies. However, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tackles several issues raised by this pandemic and significantly improves the quality of services in the health care sector. This paper presents an ICT-assisted scientometric analysis of infectious diseases, namely, airborne, food & waterborne, fomite-borne, sexually transmitted illnesses, and vector-borne illnesses. It assesses the international research status of this field in terms of citation structure, prolific journals, and country contributions. It has used the CiteSpace tool to address the visualization needs and in-depth insights of scientific literature to pinpoint core hotspots, research frontiers, emerging research areas, and ICT trends. The research finding reveals that mobile apps, telemedicine, and artificial intelligence technologies have greater scope to reduce the threats of infectious diseases. COVID-19, influenza, HIV, and malaria viruses have been identified as research hotspots whereas COVID-19, contact tracing applications, security and privacy concerns about users' data are the recent challenges in this field that need to address. The United States has produced higher research output in all domains of infectious diseases. Furthermore, it explores the co-occurrence network analysis and intellectual landscape of each domain of infectious diseases. It provides potential research directions and insightful clues to researchers and the academic fraternity for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Kumar Sood
- Department of Computer Aplications, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, Haryana 136119, India
| | - Keshav Singh Rawat
- Department of Computer Science and Informatics, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharmashala, Himachal Pradesh 176215, India
| | - Dheeraj Kumar
- Department of Computer Science and Informatics, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharmashala, Himachal Pradesh 176215, India,Corresponding author
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24
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Geyer RE, Kotnik JH, Lyon V, Brandstetter E, Zigman Suchsland M, Han PD, Graham C, Ilcisin M, Kim AE, Chu HY, Nickerson DA, Starita LM, Bedford T, Lutz B, Thompson MJ. Diagnostic Accuracy of an At-Home, Rapid Self-test for Influenza: Prospective Comparative Accuracy Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2022; 8:e28268. [PMID: 35191852 PMCID: PMC8905479 DOI: 10.2196/28268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for influenza used by individuals at home could potentially expand access to testing and reduce the impact of influenza on health systems. Improving access to testing could lead to earlier diagnosis following symptom onset, allowing more rapid interventions for those who test positive, including behavioral changes to minimize spread. However, the accuracy of RDTs for influenza has not been determined in self-testing populations. Objective This study aims to assess the accuracy of an influenza RDT conducted at home by lay users with acute respiratory illness compared with that of a self-collected sample by the same individual mailed to a laboratory for reference testing. Methods We conducted a comparative accuracy study of an at-home influenza RDT (Ellume) in a convenience sample of individuals experiencing acute respiratory illness symptoms. Participants were enrolled in February and March 2020 from the Greater Seattle region in Washington, United States. Participants were mailed the influenza RDT and reference sample collection materials, which they completed and returned for quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction influenza testing in a central laboratory. We explored the impact of age, influenza type, duration, and severity of symptoms on RDT accuracy and on cycle threshold for influenza virus and ribonuclease P, a marker of human DNA. Results A total of 605 participants completed all study steps and were included in our analysis, of whom 87 (14.4%) tested positive for influenza by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (70/87, 80% for influenza A and 17/87, 20% for influenza B). The overall sensitivity and specificity of the RDT compared with the reference test were 61% (95% CI 50%-71%) and 95% (95% CI 93%-97%), respectively. Among individuals with symptom onset ≤72 hours, sensitivity was 63% (95% CI 48%-76%) and specificity was 94% (95% CI 91%-97%), whereas, for those with duration >72 hours, sensitivity and specificity were 58% (95% CI 41%-74%) and 96% (95% CI 93%-98%), respectively. Viral load on reference swabs was negatively correlated with symptom onset, and quantities of the endogenous marker gene ribonuclease P did not differ among reference standard positive and negative groups, age groups, or influenza subtypes. The RDT did not have higher sensitivity or specificity among those who reported more severe illnesses. Conclusions The sensitivity and specificity of the self-test were comparable with those of influenza RDTs used in clinical settings. False-negative self-test results were more common when the test was used after 72 hours of symptom onset but were not related to inadequate swab collection or severity of illness. Therefore, the deployment of home tests may provide a valuable tool to support the management of influenza and other respiratory infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E Geyer
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Jack Henry Kotnik
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Victoria Lyon
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Elisabeth Brandstetter
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Brotman Baty Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | | | - Peter D Han
- Brotman Baty Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Chelsey Graham
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Misja Ilcisin
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Ashley E Kim
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Helen Y Chu
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Brotman Baty Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Deborah A Nickerson
- Brotman Baty Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Lea M Starita
- Brotman Baty Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Trevor Bedford
- Brotman Baty Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Barry Lutz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Brotman Baty Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Matthew J Thompson
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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25
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Kuchler T, Russel D, Stroebel J. JUE Insight: The geographic spread of COVID-19 correlates with the structure of social networks as measured by Facebook. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECONOMICS 2022; 127:103314. [PMID: 35250112 PMCID: PMC8886493 DOI: 10.1016/j.jue.2020.103314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
We use aggregated data from Facebook to show that COVID-19 is more likely to spread between regions with stronger social network connections. Areas with more social ties to two early COVID-19 "hotspots" (Westchester County, NY, in the U.S. and Lodi province in Italy) generally had more confirmed COVID-19 cases by the end of March. These relationships hold after controlling for geographic distance to the hotspots as well as the population density and demographics of the regions. As the pandemic progressed in the U.S., a county's social proximity to recent COVID-19 cases and deaths predicts future outbreaks over and above physical proximity and demographics. In part due to its broad coverage, social connectedness data provides additional predictive power to measures based on smartphone location or online search data. These results suggest that data from online social networks can be useful to epidemiologists and others hoping to forecast the spread of communicable diseases such as COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Kuchler
- New York University, Stern School of Business, NBER, and CEPR
| | - Dominic Russel
- New York University, Stern School of Business, NBER, and CEPR
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26
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Epidemic tracking and forecasting: Lessons learned from a tumultuous year. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2111456118. [PMID: 34903658 PMCID: PMC8713795 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2111456118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
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Abstract
Influenza is a common respiratory infection that causes considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide each year. In recent years, along with the improvement in computational resources, there have been a number of important developments in the science of influenza surveillance and forecasting. Influenza surveillance systems have been improved by synthesizing multiple sources of information. Influenza forecasting has developed into an active field, with annual challenges in the United States that have stimulated improved methodologies. Work continues on the optimal approaches to assimilating surveillance data and information on relevant driving factors to improve estimates of the current situation (nowcasting) and to forecast future dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh Taslim Ali
- World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China;
| | - Benjamin J Cowling
- World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China;
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Astley CM, Tuli G, Mc Cord KA, Cohn EL, Rader B, Varrelman TJ, Chiu SL, Deng X, Stewart K, Farag TH, Barkume KM, LaRocca S, Morris KA, Kreuter F, Brownstein JS. Global monitoring of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic through online surveys sampled from the Facebook user base. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2111455118. [PMID: 34903657 PMCID: PMC8713788 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2111455118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simultaneously tracking the global impact of COVID-19 is challenging because of regional variation in resources and reporting. Leveraging self-reported survey outcomes via an existing international social media network has the potential to provide standardized data streams to support monitoring and decision-making worldwide, in real time, and with limited local resources. The University of Maryland Global COVID-19 Trends and Impact Survey (UMD-CTIS), in partnership with Facebook, has invited daily cross-sectional samples from the social media platform's active users to participate in the survey since its launch on April 23, 2020. We analyzed UMD-CTIS survey data through December 20, 2020, from 31,142,582 responses representing 114 countries/territories weighted for nonresponse and adjusted to basic demographics. We show consistent respondent demographics over time for many countries/territories. Machine Learning models trained on national and pooled global data verified known symptom indicators. COVID-like illness (CLI) signals were correlated with government benchmark data. Importantly, the best benchmarked UMD-CTIS signal uses a single survey item whereby respondents report on CLI in their local community. In regions with strained health infrastructure but active social media users, we show it is possible to define COVID-19 impact trajectories using a remote platform independent of local government resources. This syndromic surveillance public health tool is the largest global health survey to date and, with brief participant engagement, can provide meaningful, timely insights into the global COVID-19 pandemic at a local scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Astley
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115;
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Gaurav Tuli
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Kimberly A Mc Cord
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Emily L Cohn
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Benjamin Rader
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118
| | - Tanner J Varrelman
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Samantha L Chiu
- Joint Program in Survey Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
| | - Xiaoyi Deng
- Joint Program in Survey Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
| | - Kathleen Stewart
- Center for Geospatial Information Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
| | | | | | | | | | - Frauke Kreuter
- Joint Program in Survey Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
- Department of Statistics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich 80539, Germany
| | - John S Brownstein
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
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29
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Janvrin ML, Korona-Bailey J, Koehlmoos TP. Re-examining COVID-19 Self-Reported Symptom Tracking Programs in the United States: Updated Framework Synthesis. JMIR Form Res 2021; 5:e31271. [PMID: 34792469 PMCID: PMC8651180 DOI: 10.2196/31271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early in the pandemic, in 2020, Koehlmoos et al completed a framework synthesis of currently available self-reported symptom tracking programs for COVID-19. This framework described relevant programs, partners and affiliates, funding, responses, platform, and intended audience, among other considerations. OBJECTIVE This study seeks to update the existing framework with the aim of identifying developments in the landscape and highlighting how programs have adapted to changes in pandemic response. METHODS Our team developed a framework to collate information on current COVID-19 self-reported symptom tracking programs using the "best-fit" framework synthesis approach. All programs from the previous study were included to document changes. New programs were discovered using a Google search for target keywords. The time frame for the search for programs ranged from March 1, 2021, to May 6, 2021. RESULTS We screened 33 programs, of which 8 were included in our final framework synthesis. We identified multiple common data elements, including demographic information such as race, age, gender, and affiliation (all were associated with universities, medical schools, or schools of public health). Dissimilarities included questions regarding vaccination status, vaccine hesitancy, adherence to social distancing, COVID-19 testing, and mental health. CONCLUSIONS At this time, the future of self-reported symptom tracking for COVID-19 is unclear. Some sources have speculated that COVID-19 may become a yearly occurrence much like the flu, and if so, the data that these programs generate is still valuable. However, it is unclear whether the public will maintain the same level of interest in reporting their symptoms on a regular basis if the prevalence of COVID-19 becomes more common.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda Lynn Janvrin
- The Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, United States.,Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Jessica Korona-Bailey
- The Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, United States.,Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
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30
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Melms L, Falk E, Schieffer B, Jerrentrup A, Wagner U, Matrood S, Schaefer JR, Müller T, Hirsch M. Towards a COVID-19 symptom triad: The importance of symptom constellations in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258649. [PMID: 34807925 PMCID: PMC8608328 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pandemic scenarios like SARS-Cov-2 require rapid information aggregation. In the age of eHealth and data-driven medicine, publicly available symptom tracking tools offer efficient and scalable means of collecting and analyzing large amounts of data. As a result, information gains can be communicated to front-line providers. We have developed such an application in less than a month and reached more than 500 thousand users within 48 hours. The dataset contains information on basic epidemiological parameters, symptoms, risk factors and details on previous exposure to a COVID-19 patient. Exploratory Data Analysis revealed different symptoms reported by users with confirmed contacts vs. no confirmed contacts. The symptom combination of anosmia, cough and fatigue was the most important feature to differentiate the groups, while single symptoms such as anosmia, cough or fatigue alone were not sufficient. A linear regression model from the literature using the same symptom combination as features was applied on all data. Predictions matched the regional distribution of confirmed cases closely across Germany, while also indicating that the number of cases in northern federal states might be higher than officially reported. In conclusion, we report that symptom combinations anosmia, fatigue and cough are most likely to indicate an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leander Melms
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Evelyn Falk
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard Schieffer
- Cardiology Department, University Hospital Gießen and Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Jerrentrup
- Emergency Department, University Hospital Gießen and Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Centre for Undiagnosed and Rare Diseases, University Hospital Gießen and Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Uwe Wagner
- Department of Gynaecology, University Hospital Gießen and Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sami Matrood
- Department of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Metabolism and Infectiology, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen R. Schaefer
- Centre for Undiagnosed and Rare Diseases, University Hospital Gießen and Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Müller
- Centre for Undiagnosed and Rare Diseases, University Hospital Gießen and Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Martin Hirsch
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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31
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Jenetzky E, Schwarz S, Fingerhut I, Kerdar SH, Gwiasda M, Rathjens L, Kulikova O, Martin D. [The FeverApp Registry - A Way to Empower Parents through their Own Documentation to a Graduated Decision]. DAS GESUNDHEITSWESEN 2021; 83:S4-S11. [PMID: 34731887 DOI: 10.1055/a-1581-8155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
AIM OF THE STUDY To demonstrate the feasibility and exemplarity of an app-based parent registry. METHODS The app as an elaborated interactive electronic case report form and the underlying data structure of the registry are presented. The initial recruitment efforts are illustrated and the temperature distribution, as well as the distribution of fever events in 2020, are analyzed. RESULTS The FeverApp successfully collects data into a central registry. Like every study, it also provides information on the current knowledge. The ecological momentary assessment can represent the illness situation at several levels (measurement, fever episode, individual, family, practice, country). Methods for data collection needed to be developed in a flexible manner due to pandemic conditions. The initial recruitment goal of 2400 fever phases in the first two years was met, with nationwide dissemination pending. It is shown that body temperature does not rise indefinitely; fevers reach an average of 39 degrees without antipyretics, although in rare cases temperatures beyond 41 degrees are reached without harm. Furthermore, a comparison with a reference practice shows that fever episodes can be recorded more comprehensively in the app, including infections that do not come to the presentation in a pediatrician's office. Thus, the FeverApp fulfills in a model-like fashion the use of registers in persons basically healthy and maps a multi-level diagnostics. CONCLUSION The FeverApp could basically establish itself as a supporting tool, the registry can reliably collect data with the method used and maps the current infection situation. In researching the question of how infections develop in the post-Covid period, the app could perform an important task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekkehart Jenetzky
- Department für Humanmedizin, Fakultät für Gesundheit Universität Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Deutschland.,Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie, - und -psychotherapie, Universitätsmedizin der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Mainz, Deutschland
| | - Silke Schwarz
- Department für Humanmedizin, Fakultät für Gesundheit Universität Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Deutschland
| | - Ingo Fingerhut
- Department für Humanmedizin, Fakultät für Gesundheit Universität Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Deutschland.,Inhaber, Praxis Kleiner Piks, Bochum, Deutschland
| | - Sara Hamideh Kerdar
- Department für Humanmedizin, Fakultät für Gesundheit Universität Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Deutschland
| | - Moritz Gwiasda
- Department für Humanmedizin, Fakultät für Gesundheit Universität Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Deutschland
| | - Larisa Rathjens
- Department für Humanmedizin, Fakultät für Gesundheit Universität Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Deutschland
| | - Olga Kulikova
- Department für Humanmedizin, Fakultät für Gesundheit Universität Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Deutschland
| | - David Martin
- Department für Humanmedizin, Fakultät für Gesundheit Universität Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Deutschland.,Kinderklinik, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen Medizinische Fakultät, Tübingen, Deutschland
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De Ridder D, Loizeau AJ, Sandoval JL, Ehrler F, Perrier M, Ritch A, Violot G, Santolini M, Greshake Tzovaras B, Stringhini S, Kaiser L, Pradeau JF, Joost S, Guessous I. Detection of Spatiotemporal Clusters of COVID-19-Associated Symptoms and Prevention Using a Participatory Surveillance App: Protocol for the @choum Study. JMIR Res Protoc 2021; 10:e30444. [PMID: 34449403 PMCID: PMC8496683 DOI: 10.2196/30444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The early detection of clusters of infectious diseases such as the SARS-CoV-2-related COVID-19 disease can promote timely testing recommendation compliance and help to prevent disease outbreaks. Prior research revealed the potential of COVID-19 participatory syndromic surveillance systems to complement traditional surveillance systems. However, most existing systems did not integrate geographic information at a local scale, which could improve the management of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to detect active and emerging spatiotemporal clusters of COVID-19-associated symptoms, and to examine (a posteriori) the association between the clusters' characteristics and sociodemographic and environmental determinants. METHODS This report presents the methodology and development of the @choum (English: "achoo") study, evaluating an epidemiological digital surveillance tool to detect and prevent clusters of individuals (target sample size, N=5000), aged 18 years or above, with COVID-19-associated symptoms living and/or working in the canton of Geneva, Switzerland. The tool is a 5-minute survey integrated into a free and secure mobile app (CoronApp-HUG). Participants are enrolled through a comprehensive communication campaign conducted throughout the 12-month data collection phase. Participants register to the tool by providing electronic informed consent and nonsensitive information (gender, age, geographically masked addresses). Symptomatic participants can then report COVID-19-associated symptoms at their onset (eg, symptoms type, test date) by tapping on the @choum button. Those who have not yet been tested are offered the possibility to be informed on their cluster status (information returned by daily automated clustering analysis). At each participation step, participants are redirected to the official COVID-19 recommendations websites. Geospatial clustering analyses are performed using the modified space-time density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (MST-DBSCAN) algorithm. RESULTS The study began on September 1, 2020, and will be completed on February 28, 2022. Multiple tests performed at various time points throughout the 5-month preparation phase have helped to improve the tool's user experience and the accuracy of the clustering analyses. A 1-month pilot study performed among 38 pharmacists working in 7 Geneva-based pharmacies confirmed the proper functioning of the tool. Since the tool's launch to the entire population of Geneva on February 11, 2021, data are being collected and clusters are being carefully monitored. The primary study outcomes are expected to be published in mid-2022. CONCLUSIONS The @choum study evaluates an innovative participatory epidemiological digital surveillance tool to detect and prevent clusters of COVID-19-associated symptoms. @choum collects precise geographic information while protecting the user's privacy by using geomasking methods. By providing an evidence base to inform citizens and local authorities on areas potentially facing a high COVID-19 burden, the tool supports the targeted allocation of public health resources and promotes testing. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/30444.
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Affiliation(s)
- David De Ridder
- Division of Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Group of Geographic Information Research and Analysis in Population Health, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Geographic Information Systems, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Jutta Loizeau
- Division of Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - José Luis Sandoval
- Group of Geographic Information Research and Analysis in Population Health, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Oncology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric Ehrler
- Direction of Information Systems, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Myriam Perrier
- Direction of Information Systems, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Albert Ritch
- Direction of Information Systems, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Guillemette Violot
- Communication Directorate, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Marc Santolini
- Center for Research and Interdisciplinarity, INSERM U1284, University of Paris, Paris, France
| | | | - Silvia Stringhini
- Division of Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Kaiser
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Division of Infectious Disease and Laboratory of Virology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Center for Emerging Viral Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Stéphane Joost
- Group of Geographic Information Research and Analysis in Population Health, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Geographic Information Systems, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Idris Guessous
- Division of Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Group of Geographic Information Research and Analysis in Population Health, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Geographic Information Systems, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Sudre CH, Keshet A, Graham MS, Joshi AD, Shilo S, Rossman H, Murray B, Molteni E, Klaser K, Canas LD, Antonelli M, Nguyen LH, Drew DA, Modat M, Pujol JC, Ganesh S, Wolf J, Meir T, Chan AT, Steves CJ, Spector TD, Brownstein JS, Segal E, Ourselin S, Astley CM. Anosmia, ageusia, and other COVID-19-like symptoms in association with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, across six national digital surveillance platforms: an observational study. Lancet Digit Health 2021; 3:e577-e586. [PMID: 34305035 PMCID: PMC8297994 DOI: 10.1016/s2589-7500(21)00115-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple voluntary surveillance platforms were developed across the world in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing a real-time understanding of population-based COVID-19 epidemiology. During this time, testing criteria broadened and health-care policies matured. We aimed to test whether there were consistent associations of symptoms with SARS-CoV-2 test status across three surveillance platforms in three countries (two platforms per country), during periods of testing and policy changes. METHODS For this observational study, we used data of observations from three volunteer COVID-19 digital surveillance platforms (Carnegie Mellon University and University of Maryland Facebook COVID-19 Symptom Survey, ZOE COVID Symptom Study app, and the Corona Israel study) targeting communities in three countries (Israel, the UK, and the USA; two platforms per country). The study population included adult respondents (age 18-100 years at baseline) who were not health-care workers. We did logistic regression of self-reported symptoms on self-reported SARS-CoV-2 test status (positive or negative), adjusted for age and sex, in each of the study cohorts. We compared odds ratios (ORs) across platforms and countries, and we did meta-analyses assuming a random effects model. We also evaluated testing policy changes, COVID-19 incidence, and time scales of duration of symptoms and symptom-to-test time. FINDINGS Between April 1 and July 31, 2020, 514 459 tests from over 10 million respondents were recorded in the six surveillance platform datasets. Anosmia-ageusia was the strongest, most consistent symptom associated with a positive COVID-19 test (robust aggregated rank one, meta-analysed random effects OR 16·96, 95% CI 13·13-21·92). Fever (rank two, 6·45, 4·25-9·81), shortness of breath (rank three, 4·69, 3·14-7·01), and cough (rank four, 4·29, 3·13-5·88) were also highly associated with test positivity. The association of symptoms with test status varied by duration of illness, timing of the test, and broader test criteria, as well as over time, by country, and by platform. INTERPRETATION The strong association of anosmia-ageusia with self-reported positive SARS-CoV-2 test was consistently observed, supporting its validity as a reliable COVID-19 signal, regardless of the participatory surveillance platform, country, phase of illness, or testing policy. These findings show that associations between COVID-19 symptoms and test positivity ranked similarly in a wide range of scenarios. Anosmia, fever, and respiratory symptoms consistently had the strongest effect estimates and were the most appropriate empirical signals for symptom-based public health surveillance in areas with insufficient testing or benchmarking capacity. Collaborative syndromic surveillance could enhance real-time epidemiological investigations and public health utility globally. FUNDING National Institutes of Health, National Institute for Health Research, Alzheimer's Society, Wellcome Trust, and Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole H Sudre
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK; Medical Research Council Unit for Lifelong health and Ageing at UCL, Department of Population Science and Experimental Medicine, University College London, London, UK; Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Computer Science, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Ayya Keshet
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics and Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Mark S Graham
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Amit D Joshi
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit and Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Smadar Shilo
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics and Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel; Pediatric Diabetes Unit, Ruth Rappaport Children's Hospital, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - Hagai Rossman
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics and Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Benjamin Murray
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Erika Molteni
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Kerstin Klaser
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Liane D Canas
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Michela Antonelli
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Long H Nguyen
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit and Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David A Drew
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit and Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marc Modat
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | | | | | - Tomer Meir
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics and Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Andrew T Chan
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit and Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Claire J Steves
- Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Tim D Spector
- Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK; ZOE Global, London, UK
| | - John S Brownstein
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eran Segal
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics and Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Sebastien Ourselin
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK; AI Institute 3IA Côte d'Azur, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Christina M Astley
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Ouyang L, Yuan Y, Cao Y, Wang FY. A novel framework of collaborative early warning for COVID-19 based on blockchain and smart contracts. Inf Sci (N Y) 2021; 570:124-143. [PMID: 33846657 PMCID: PMC8028591 DOI: 10.1016/j.ins.2021.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Early warning is a vital component of emergency response systems for infectious diseases. However, most early warning systems are centralized and isolated, thus there are potential risks of single evidence bias and decision-making errors. In this paper, we tackle this issue via proposing a novel framework of collaborative early warning for COVID-19 based on blockchain and smart contracts, aiming to crowdsource early warning tasks to distributed channels including medical institutions, social organizations, and even individuals. Our framework supports two surveillance modes, namely, medical federation surveillance based on federated learning and social collaboration surveillance based on the learning markets approach, and fuses their monitoring results on emerging cases to alert. By using our framework, medical institutions are expected to obtain better federated surveillance models with privacy protection, and social participants without mutual trusts can also share verified surveillance resources such as data and models, and fuse their surveillance solutions. We implemented our proposed framework based on the Ethereum and IPFS platforms. Experimental results show that our framework has advantages of decentralized decision-making, fairness, auditability, and universality. It also has potential guidance and reference value for the early warning and prevention of unknown infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwei Ouyang
- School of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- State Key Laboratory for Management and Control of Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Yong Yuan
- School of Mathematics, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
- Engineering Research Center of Finance Computation and Digital Engineering, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100872, China
- Institute of Systems Engineering, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, China
| | - Yumeng Cao
- State Key Laboratory for Management and Control of Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Fei-Yue Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Management and Control of Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- Qingdao Academy of Intelligent Industries, Qingdao 266109, China
- Institute of Systems Engineering, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, China
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Hswen Y, Yom-Tov E. Analysis of a Vaping-Associated Lung Injury Outbreak through Participatory Surveillance and Archival Internet Data. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18158203. [PMID: 34360495 PMCID: PMC8346109 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18158203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alerted of a suspected outbreak of lung illness associated with using E-cigarette products in September 2019. At the time that the CDC published its alert little was known about the causes of the outbreak or who was at risk for it. Here we provide insights into the outbreak through analysis of passive reporting and participatory surveillance. We collected data about vaping habits and associated adverse reactions from four data sources pertaining to people in the USA: A participatory surveillance platform (YouVape), Reddit, Google Trends, and Bing. Data were analyzed to identify vaping behaviors and reported adverse events. These were correlated among sources and with prior reports. Data was obtained from 720 YouVape users, 4331 Reddit users, and over 1 million Bing users. Large geographic variation was observed across vaping products. Significant correlation was found among the data sources in reported adverse reactions. Models of participatory surveillance data found specific product and adverse reaction associations. Specifically, cannabidiol was found to be associated with fever, while tetrahydrocannabinol was found to be correlated with diarrhea. Our results demonstrate that utilization of different, complementary, online data sources provide a holistic view of vaping associated lung injury while augmenting traditional data sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulin Hswen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA;
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Innovation Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Elad Yom-Tov
- Microsoft Research Israel, 3 Alan Turing Str., Herzeliya 4672415, Israel
- Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management, Technion, Haifa 3200000, Israel
- Correspondence:
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Abstract
Widespread vaccination acceptance is of critical import to society dealing with the continuing aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The risky behaviours that predict whether individuals vaccinate for seasonal influenza can help policymakers fashion plans to improve vaccination rates and more reliably establish herd immunity. To this end, Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) data were employed to determine how an individual’s choice to engage in various risky behaviours relates with the likelihood that the same individual gets the seasonal influenza vaccine. Controls were included for demographic, geographic, and health insurance factors. In addition to controlling for these factors, regressions were further stratified based upon gender, the presence of children in the home, and age. I found that excess sun exposure, poor oral hygiene, smoking, and unhealthy diet choices correlated with reduced vaccination probability—both over the subsequent year and for that individual’s lifetime. These results have important implications for properly targeting individuals for widespread vaccinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Neymotin
- Huizenga College of Business, Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 USA
- Sprott School of Business, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
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37
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Miliou I, Xiong X, Rinzivillo S, Zhang Q, Rossetti G, Giannotti F, Pedreschi D, Vespignani A. Predicting seasonal influenza using supermarket retail records. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1009087. [PMID: 34252075 PMCID: PMC8297944 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased availability of epidemiological data, novel digital data streams, and the rise of powerful machine learning approaches have generated a surge of research activity on real-time epidemic forecast systems. In this paper, we propose the use of a novel data source, namely retail market data to improve seasonal influenza forecasting. Specifically, we consider supermarket retail data as a proxy signal for influenza, through the identification of sentinel baskets, i.e., products bought together by a population of selected customers. We develop a nowcasting and forecasting framework that provides estimates for influenza incidence in Italy up to 4 weeks ahead. We make use of the Support Vector Regression (SVR) model to produce the predictions of seasonal flu incidence. Our predictions outperform both a baseline autoregressive model and a second baseline based on product purchases. The results show quantitatively the value of incorporating retail market data in forecasting models, acting as a proxy that can be used for the real-time analysis of epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna Miliou
- University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- ISTI-CNR, Pisa, Italy
| | - Xinyue Xiong
- Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | - Qian Zhang
- Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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38
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Li J, Sia CL, Chen Z, Huang W. Enhancing Influenza Epidemics Forecasting Accuracy in China with Both Official and Unofficial Online News Articles, 2019-2020. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18126591. [PMID: 34207479 PMCID: PMC8296334 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18126591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Real-time online data sources have contributed to timely and accurate forecasting of influenza activities while also suffered from instability and linguistic noise. Few previous studies have focused on unofficial online news articles, which are abundant in their numbers, rich in information, and relatively low in noise. This study examined whether monitoring both official and unofficial online news articles can improve influenza activity forecasting accuracy during influenza outbreaks. Data were retrieved from a Chinese commercial online platform and the website of the Chinese National Influenza Center. We modeled weekly fractions of influenza-related online news articles and compared them against weekly influenza-like illness (ILI) rates using autoregression analyses. We retrieved 153,958,695 and 149,822,871 online news articles focusing on the south and north of mainland China separately from 6 October 2019 to 17 May 2020. Our model based on online news articles could significantly improve the forecasting accuracy, compared to other influenza surveillance models based on historical ILI rates (p = 0.002 in the south; p = 0.000 in the north) or adding microblog data as an exogenous input (p = 0.029 in the south; p = 0.000 in the north). Our finding also showed that influenza forecasting based on online news articles could be 1-2 weeks ahead of official ILI surveillance reports. The results revealed that monitoring online news articles could supplement traditional influenza surveillance systems, improve resource allocation, and offer models for surveillance of other emerging diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwei Li
- School of Management, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China;
- Department of Information Systems, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China;
| | - Choon-Ling Sia
- Department of Information Systems, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China;
| | - Zhuo Chen
- College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
- School of Economics, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo 315000, China
| | - Wei Huang
- College of Business, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518000, China
- Correspondence:
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Lu FS, Nguyen AT, Link NB, Molina M, Davis JT, Chinazzi M, Xiong X, Vespignani A, Lipsitch M, Santillana M. Estimating the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 in the United States using influenza surveillance, virologic testing, and mortality data: Four complementary approaches. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008994. [PMID: 34138845 PMCID: PMC8241061 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Effectively designing and evaluating public health responses to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic requires accurate estimation of the prevalence of COVID-19 across the United States (US). Equipment shortages and varying testing capabilities have however hindered the usefulness of the official reported positive COVID-19 case counts. We introduce four complementary approaches to estimate the cumulative incidence of symptomatic COVID-19 in each state in the US as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, using a combination of excess influenza-like illness reports, COVID-19 test statistics, COVID-19 mortality reports, and a spatially structured epidemic model. Instead of relying on the estimate from a single data source or method that may be biased, we provide multiple estimates, each relying on different assumptions and data sources. Across our four approaches emerges the consistent conclusion that on April 4, 2020, the estimated case count was 5 to 50 times higher than the official positive test counts across the different states. Nationally, our estimates of COVID-19 symptomatic cases as of April 4 have a likely range of 2.3 to 4.8 million, with possibly as many as 7.6 million cases, up to 25 times greater than the cumulative confirmed cases of about 311,000. Extending our methods to May 16, 2020, we estimate that cumulative symptomatic incidence ranges from 4.9 to 10.1 million, as opposed to 1.5 million positive test counts. The proposed combination of approaches may prove useful in assessing the burden of COVID-19 during resurgences in the US and other countries with comparable surveillance systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fred S. Lu
- Department of Statistics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Andre T. Nguyen
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Booz Allen Hamilton, Columbia, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Nicholas B. Link
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mathieu Molina
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jessica T. Davis
- Laboratory for the Modeling of Biological and Socio-technical Systems, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Matteo Chinazzi
- Laboratory for the Modeling of Biological and Socio-technical Systems, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Xinyue Xiong
- Laboratory for the Modeling of Biological and Socio-technical Systems, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Alessandro Vespignani
- Laboratory for the Modeling of Biological and Socio-technical Systems, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Marc Lipsitch
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mauricio Santillana
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Poirier C, Hswen Y, Bouzillé G, Cuggia M, Lavenu A, Brownstein JS, Brewer T, Santillana M. Influenza forecasting for French regions combining EHR, web and climatic data sources with a machine learning ensemble approach. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0250890. [PMID: 34010293 PMCID: PMC8133501 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective and timely disease surveillance systems have the potential to help public health officials design interventions to mitigate the effects of disease outbreaks. Currently, healthcare-based disease monitoring systems in France offer influenza activity information that lags real-time by one to three weeks. This temporal data gap introduces uncertainty that prevents public health officials from having a timely perspective on the population-level disease activity. Here, we present a machine-learning modeling approach that produces real-time estimates and short-term forecasts of influenza activity for the twelve continental regions of France by leveraging multiple disparate data sources that include, Google search activity, real-time and local weather information, flu-related Twitter micro-blogs, electronic health records data, and historical disease activity synchronicities across regions. Our results show that all data sources contribute to improving influenza surveillance and that machine-learning ensembles that combine all data sources lead to accurate and timely predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Canelle Poirier
- INSERM, U1099, Rennes, France
- Université de Rennes 1, LTSI, Rennes, France
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CP); (MS)
| | - Yulin Hswen
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Innovation Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Guillaume Bouzillé
- INSERM, U1099, Rennes, France
- Université de Rennes 1, LTSI, Rennes, France
- CHU Rennes, Centre de Données Cliniques, Rennes, France
| | - Marc Cuggia
- INSERM, U1099, Rennes, France
- Université de Rennes 1, LTSI, Rennes, France
- CHU Rennes, Centre de Données Cliniques, Rennes, France
| | - Audrey Lavenu
- Université de Rennes 1, Faculté de médecine, Rennes, France
- INSERM CIC 1414, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France
- IRMAR, Institut de Recherche Mathématique de Rennes, Rennes, France
| | - John S. Brownstein
- Innovation Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Thomas Brewer
- Innovation Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Mauricio Santillana
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CP); (MS)
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Woodward M, Ansari A, Draycott T, Winter C, Marjanovic S, Dixon-Woods M. Characterising and describing postpartum haemorrhage emergency kits in context: a protocol for a mixed-methods study. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e044310. [PMID: 33875443 PMCID: PMC8057548 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is an obstetric emergency requiring prompt and accurate response. PPH emergency kits containing equipment and medications can facilitate this kind of intervention, but their design and contents vary, potentially introducing risk of confusion or delay. Designs may be suboptimal, and relying on localised kit contents may result in supply chain costs, increased waste and missed opportunities for economies of scale. This study aims to characterise contextual influences on current practice in relation to PPH kits and to describe the range of kits currently employed in UK maternity units. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This mixed-methods study comprises two phases. The first will use field observations and semistructured interviews to research PPH kits in a small number (3-5) of maternity units that will be selected to represent diversity. Analysis will be conducted both using an established human factors and ergonomics framework and using the constant comparative method for qualitative data analysis. The second phase will use a research and development platform (Thiscovery) to conduct a crowdsourced photography-based audit of PPH kits currently in use in the UK. Participants will tag images to indicate which objects have been photographed. Quantitative analysis will report the frequency of inclusion of each item in kits and the content differences between kit and unit types. All maternity units in the UK will be invited to take part, with additional targeted recruitment strategies used, if necessary, to ensure that the final sample includes different maternity unit types, sizes and PPH kit types. Study results will inform future work to develop consensus on effective PPH kit designs. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Approval has been received from the UK Health Research Authority (project ID 274147). Study results will be reported through the research institute's website, presented at conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Woodward
- THIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Akbar Ansari
- THIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Tim Draycott
- Women and Children's Health Research Unit, North Bristol NHS Trust, Westbury on Trym, Bristol, UK
- PROMPT Maternity Foundation, Bristol, UK
| | - Cathy Winter
- Women and Children's Health Research Unit, North Bristol NHS Trust, Westbury on Trym, Bristol, UK
- PROMPT Maternity Foundation, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Mary Dixon-Woods
- THIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Sociodemographic Characteristics and Interests of FeverApp Users. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18063121. [PMID: 33803541 PMCID: PMC8002853 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18063121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The FeverApp Registry is a model registry focusing on pediatric fever using a mobile app to collect data and present recommendations. The recorded interactions can clarify the relationship between user documentation and user information. This initial evaluation regarding features of participants and usage intensity of educational video, information library, and documentation of fever events covers the runtime of FeverApp for the first 14 months. Of the 1592 users, the educational opening video was viewed by 41.5%, the Info Library was viewed by 37.5%, and fever events were documented by 55.5%. In the current sample, the role of a mother (p < 0.0090), having a higher level of education (p = 0.0013), or being registered at an earlier date appear to be cues to take note of the training video, Info Library, and to document. The FeverApp was used slightly less by people with a lower level of education or who had a migration background, but at the current stage of recruitment no conclusion can be made. The user analyses presented here are plausible and should be verified with further dissemination of the registry. Ecological momentary assessment is used more than the information option, in line with the task of a registry. Data collection via app seems feasible.
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43
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Ahn E, Liu N, Parekh T, Patel R, Baldacchino T, Mullavey T, Robinson A, Kim J. A Mobile App and Dashboard for Early Detection of Infectious Disease Outbreaks: Development Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2021; 7:e14837. [PMID: 33687334 PMCID: PMC7988388 DOI: 10.2196/14837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 11/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Outbreaks of infectious diseases pose great risks, including hospitalization and death, to public health. Therefore, improving the management of outbreaks is important for preventing widespread infection and mitigating associated risks. Mobile health technology provides new capabilities that can help better capture, monitor, and manage infectious diseases, including the ability to quickly identify potential outbreaks. OBJECTIVE This study aims to develop a new infectious disease surveillance (IDS) system comprising a mobile app for accurate data capturing and dashboard for better health care planning and decision making. METHODS We developed the IDS system using a 2-pronged approach: a literature review on available and similar disease surveillance systems to understand the fundamental requirements and face-to-face interviews to collect specific user requirements from the local public health unit team at the Nepean Hospital, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, New South Wales, Australia. RESULTS We identified 3 fundamental requirements when designing an electronic IDS system, which are the ability to capture and report outbreak data accurately, completely, and in a timely fashion. We then developed our IDS system based on the workflow, scope, and specific requirements of the public health unit team. We also produced detailed design and requirement guidelines. In our system, the outbreak data are captured and sent from anywhere using a mobile device or a desktop PC (web interface). The data are processed using a client-server architecture and, therefore, can be analyzed in real time. Our dashboard is designed to provide a daily, weekly, monthly, and historical summary of outbreak information, which can be potentially used to develop a future intervention plan. Specific information about certain outbreaks can also be visualized interactively to understand the unique characteristics of emerging infectious diseases. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated the design and development of our IDS system. We suggest that the use of a mobile app and dashboard will simplify the overall data collection, reporting, and analysis processes, thereby improving the public health responses and providing accurate registration of outbreak information. Accurate data reporting and collection are a major step forward in creating a better intervention plan for future outbreaks of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Euijoon Ahn
- School of Computer Science, The University of Sydney, Darlington, Australia.,Telehealth Technology Centre, Nepean Hospital, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, Kingswood, Australia
| | - Na Liu
- The University Sydney Business School, Darlington, Australia
| | - Tej Parekh
- School of Computer Science, The University of Sydney, Darlington, Australia.,Tej Consultancy, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ronak Patel
- School of Computer Science, The University of Sydney, Darlington, Australia
| | - Tanya Baldacchino
- Telehealth Technology Centre, Nepean Hospital, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, Kingswood, Australia
| | - Tracy Mullavey
- Telehealth Technology Centre, Nepean Hospital, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, Kingswood, Australia
| | - Amanda Robinson
- Public Health Unit, Nepean Hospital, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, Kingswood, Australia
| | - Jinman Kim
- School of Computer Science, The University of Sydney, Darlington, Australia.,Telehealth Technology Centre, Nepean Hospital, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, Kingswood, Australia
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44
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Kogan NE, Clemente L, Liautaud P, Kaashoek J, Link NB, Nguyen AT, Lu FS, Huybers P, Resch B, Havas C, Petutschnig A, Davis J, Chinazzi M, Mustafa B, Hanage WP, Vespignani A, Santillana M. An early warning approach to monitor COVID-19 activity with multiple digital traces in near real time. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabd6989. [PMID: 33674304 PMCID: PMC7935356 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd6989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Given still-high levels of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) susceptibility and inconsistent transmission-containing strategies, outbreaks have continued to emerge across the United States. Until effective vaccines are widely deployed, curbing COVID-19 will require carefully timed nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). A COVID-19 early warning system is vital for this. Here, we evaluate digital data streams as early indicators of state-level COVID-19 activity from 1 March to 30 September 2020. We observe that increases in digital data stream activity anticipate increases in confirmed cases and deaths by 2 to 3 weeks. Confirmed cases and deaths also decrease 2 to 4 weeks after NPI implementation, as measured by anonymized, phone-derived human mobility data. We propose a means of harmonizing these data streams to identify future COVID-19 outbreaks. Our results suggest that combining disparate health and behavioral data may help identify disease activity changes weeks before observation using traditional epidemiological monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole E Kogan
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Leonardo Clemente
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Parker Liautaud
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Justin Kaashoek
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas B Link
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andre T Nguyen
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Booz Allen Hamilton, Columbia, MD, USA
| | - Fred S Lu
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Statistics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Peter Huybers
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Bernd Resch
- Department of Geoinformatics - Z_GIS, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
- Center for Geographic Analysis, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Clemens Havas
- Department of Geoinformatics - Z_GIS, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Andreas Petutschnig
- Department of Geoinformatics - Z_GIS, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | | | | | - Backtosch Mustafa
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - William P Hanage
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Mauricio Santillana
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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45
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Becker RC. COVID-19 and its sequelae: a platform for optimal patient care, discovery and training. J Thromb Thrombolysis 2021; 51:587-594. [PMID: 33501596 PMCID: PMC7838017 DOI: 10.1007/s11239-021-02375-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19- related patient care and research have focused on short-term outcomes, particularly among those with underlying or preexisting medical conditions. A major focus has been on mortality rates. Broadening the dialogue is neither meant nor intended to disparage the near-term devastation felt globally each day, but rather to begin preparation for optimally caring for and addressing the needs of survivors. The sequelae of COVID-19 includes acute, subacute and chronic stages of the condition. If one applies current World Health Organization (WHO) statistics to calculate the global burden of disease, there are 98,000,000 COVID-19 survivors. The following editorial focuses on post-COVID sequelae as a continuum of patient care needs, as well as discovery and training opportunities in an academic setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard C Becker
- Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA.
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Shapiro A, Marinsek N, Clay I, Bradshaw B, Ramirez E, Min J, Trister A, Wang Y, Althoff T, Foschini L. Characterizing COVID-19 and Influenza Illnesses in the Real World via Person-Generated Health Data. PATTERNS (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 2:100188. [PMID: 33506230 PMCID: PMC7815963 DOI: 10.1016/j.patter.2020.100188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The fight against COVID-19 is hindered by similarly presenting viral infections that may confound detection and monitoring. We examined person-generated health data (PGHD), consisting of survey and commercial wearable data from individuals' everyday lives, for 230 people who reported a COVID-19 diagnosis between March 30, 2020, and April 27, 2020 (n = 41 with wearable data). Compared with self-reported diagnosed flu cases from the same time frame (n = 426, 85 with wearable data) or pre-pandemic (n = 6,270, 1,265 with wearable data), COVID-19 patients reported a distinct symptom constellation that lasted longer (median of 12 versus 9 and 7 days, respectively) and peaked later after illness onset. Wearable data showed significant changes in daily steps and prevalence of anomalous resting heart rate measurements, of similar magnitudes for both the flu and COVID-19 cohorts. Our findings highlight the need to include flu comparator arms when evaluating PGHD applications aimed to be highly specific for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ieuan Clay
- Evidation Health, Inc., San Mateo, CA 94401, USA
| | | | | | - Jae Min
- Evidation Health, Inc., San Mateo, CA 94401, USA
| | - Andrew Trister
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Yuedong Wang
- Department of Statistics and Applied Probability, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Tim Althoff
- Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
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Sudre CH, Keshet A, Graham MS, Joshi AD, Shilo S, Rossman H, Murray B, Molteni E, Klaser K, Canas LD, Antonelli M, Modat M, Capdevila Pujol J, Ganesh S, Wolf J, Meir T, Chan AT, Steves CJ, Spector TD, Brownstein JS, Segal E, Ourselin S, Astley CM. Anosmia and other SARS-CoV-2 positive test-associated symptoms, across three national, digital surveillance platforms as the COVID-19 pandemic and response unfolded: an observation study. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2020:2020.12.15.20248096. [PMID: 33354683 PMCID: PMC7755145 DOI: 10.1101/2020.12.15.20248096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background Multiple participatory surveillance platforms were developed across the world in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing a real-time understanding of community-wide COVID-19 epidemiology. During this time, testing criteria broadened and healthcare policies matured. We sought to test whether there were consistent associations of symptoms with SARS-CoV-2 test status across three national surveillance platforms, during periods of testing and policy changes, and whether inconsistencies could better inform our understanding and future studies as the COVID-19 pandemic progresses. Methods Four months (1st April 2020 to 31st July 2020) of observation through three volunteer COVID-19 digital surveillance platforms targeting communities in three countries (Israel, United Kingdom, and United States). Logistic regression of self-reported symptom on self-reported SARS-CoV-2 test status (or test access), adjusted for age and sex, in each of the study cohorts. Odds ratios over time were compared to known changes in testing policies and fluctuations in COVID-19 incidence. Findings Anosmia/ageusia was the strongest, most consistent symptom associated with a positive COVID-19 test, based on 658,325 tests (5% positive) from over 10 million respondents in three digital surveillance platforms using longitudinal and cross-sectional survey methodologies. During higher-incidence periods with broader testing criteria, core COVID-19 symptoms were more strongly associated with test status. Lower incidence periods had, overall, larger confidence intervals. Interpretation The strong association of anosmia/ageusia with self-reported SARS-CoV-2 test positivity is omnipresent, supporting its validity as a reliable COVID-19 signal, regardless of the participatory surveillance platform or testing policy. This analysis highlights that precise effect estimates, as well as an understanding of test access patterns to interpret differences, are best done only when incidence is high. These findings strongly support the need for testing access to be as open as possible both for real-time epidemiologic investigation and public health utility. Funding NIH, NIHR, Alzheimer's Society, Wellcome Trust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole H. Sudre
- MRC Unit for Lifelong health and Ageing at UCL, Department of Population Science and Experimental Medicine, University College London, London, UK
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Computer Science, University College London, London, UK
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Ayya Keshet
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Mark S. Graham
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Amit D. Joshi
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Smadar Shilo
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Pediatric Diabetes Unit, Ruth Rappaport Children’s Hospital, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - Hagai Rossman
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Benjamin Murray
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Erika Molteni
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Kerstin Klaser
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Liane D Canas
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Michela Antonelli
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Marc Modat
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
| | | | - Sajaysurya Ganesh
- Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King’s College London, UK
| | - Jonathan Wolf
- Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King’s College London, UK
| | - Tomer Meir
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Andrew T. Chan
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Claire J. Steves
- Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King’s College London, UK
| | - Tim D. Spector
- Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King’s College London, UK
- Zoe Global Limited
| | - John S. Brownstein
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eran Segal
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Sebastien Ourselin
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Christina M. Astley
- Computational Epidemiology Lab, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Lyon V, Zigman Suchsland M, Chilver M, Stocks N, Lutz B, Su P, Cooper S, Park C, Lavitt LR, Mariakakis A, Patel S, Graham C, Rieder M, LeRouge C, Thompson M. Diagnostic accuracy of an app-guided, self-administered test for influenza among individuals presenting to general practice with influenza-like illness: study protocol. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e036298. [PMID: 33444172 PMCID: PMC7678361 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-036298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Diagnostic tests for influenza in Australia are currently only authorised for use in clinical settings. At-home diagnostic testing for influenza could reduce the need for patient contact with healthcare services, which potentially could contribute to symptomatic improvement and reduced spread of influenza. We aim to determine the accuracy of an app-guided nasal self-swab combined with a lateral flow immunoassay for influenza conducted by individuals with influenza-like illness (ILI). METHODS AND ANALYSIS Adults (≥18 years) presenting with ILI will be recruited by general practitioners (GP) participating in Australian Sentinel Practices Research Network. Eligible participants will have a nasal swab obtained by their GP for verification of influenza A/B status using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test at an accredited laboratory. Participants will receive an influenza test kit and will download an app that collects self-reported symptoms and influenza risk factors, then instructs them in obtaining a low-nasal self-swab, running a QuickVue influenza A+B lateral flow immunoassay (Quidel Corporation) and interpreting the results. Participants will also interpret an enhanced image of the test strip in the app. The primary outcome will be the accuracy of participants' test interpretation compared with the laboratory RT-PCR reference standard. Secondary analyses will include accuracy of the enhanced test strip image, accuracy of an automatic test strip reader algorithm and validation of prediction rules for influenza based on self-reported symptoms. A post-test survey will be used to obtain participant feedback on self-test procedures. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The study was approved by the Human Research and Ethic Committee (HREC) at the University of Adelaide (H-2019-116). Protocol details and any amendments will be reported to https://www.tga.gov.au/. Results will be published in the peer-reviewed literature, and shared with stakeholders in the primary care and diagnostics communities. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Australia New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (U1111-1237-0688).
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Lyon
- Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Monique Chilver
- Discipline of General Practice, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Nigel Stocks
- Discipline of General Practice, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Barry Lutz
- Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | | | - Chunjong Park
- Computer Science, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Libby Rose Lavitt
- Computer Science, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Alex Mariakakis
- Computer Science, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Shwetak Patel
- Computer Science, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Chelsey Graham
- Brotman Bay Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Mark Rieder
- Brotman Bay Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Cynthia LeRouge
- College of Business, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Matthew Thompson
- Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Leal-Neto OB, Santos FAS, Lee JY, Albuquerque JO, Souza WV. Prioritizing COVID-19 tests based on participatory surveillance and spatial scanning. Int J Med Inform 2020; 143:104263. [PMID: 32877853 PMCID: PMC7449898 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2020.104263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to identify, describe and analyze priority areas for COVID-19 testing combining participatory surveillance and traditional surveillance. DESIGN It was carried out a descriptive transversal study in the city of Caruaru, Pernambuco state, Brazil, within the period of 20/02/2020 to 05/05/2020. Data included all official reports for influenza-like illness notified by the municipality health department and the self-reports collected through the participatory surveillance platform Brasil Sem Corona. METHODS We used linear regression and loess regression to verify a correlation between Participatory Surveillance (PS) and Traditional Surveillance (TS). Also a spatial scanning approach was deployed in order to identify risk clusters for COVID-19. RESULTS In Caruaru, the PS had 861 active users, presenting an average of 1.2 reports per user per week. The platform Brasil Sem Corona started on March 20th and since then, has been officially used by the Caruaru health authority to improve the quality of information from the traditional surveillance system. Regarding the respiratory syndrome cases from TS, 1588 individuals were positive for this clinical outcome. The spatial scanning analysis detected 18 clusters and 6 of them presented statistical significance (p-value < 0.1). Clusters 3 and 4 presented an overlapping area that was chosen by the local authority to deploy the COVID-19 serology, where 50 individuals were tested. From there, 32 % (n = 16) presented reagent results for antibodies related to COVID-19. CONCLUSION Participatory surveillance is an effective epidemiological method to complement the traditional surveillance system in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by adding real-time spatial data to detect priority areas for COVID-19 testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- O B Leal-Neto
- Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Epitrack, Recife, Brazil.
| | - F A S Santos
- Agreste Academic Center, Federal University of Pernambuco, Caruaru, Brazil
| | | | - J O Albuquerque
- Epitrack, Recife, Brazil; Immunopathology Laboratory Keizo Asami, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - W V Souza
- Aggeu Magalhães Research Center, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Recife, Brazil
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Choo H, Kim M, Choi J, Shin J, Shin SY. Influenza Screening via Deep Learning Using a Combination of Epidemiological and Patient-Generated Health Data: Development and Validation Study. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e21369. [PMID: 33118941 PMCID: PMC7661232 DOI: 10.2196/21369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Screening for influenza in primary care is challenging due to the low sensitivity of rapid antigen tests and the lack of proper screening tests. Objective The aim of this study was to develop a machine learning–based screening tool using patient-generated health data (PGHD) obtained from a mobile health (mHealth) app. Methods We trained a deep learning model based on a gated recurrent unit to screen influenza using PGHD, including each patient’s fever pattern and drug administration records. We used meteorological data and app-based surveillance of the weekly number of patients with influenza. We defined a single episode as the set of consecutive days, including the day the user was diagnosed with influenza or another disease. Any record a user entered 24 hours after his or her last record was considered to be the start of a new episode. Each episode contained data on the user’s age, gender, weight, and at least one body temperature record. The total number of episodes was 6657. Of these, there were 3326 episodes within which influenza was diagnosed. We divided these episodes into 80% training sets (2664/3330) and 20% test sets (666/3330). A 5-fold cross-validation was used on the training set. Results We achieved reliable performance with an accuracy of 82%, a sensitivity of 84%, and a specificity of 80% in the test set. After the effect of each input variable was evaluated, app-based surveillance was observed to be the most influential variable. The correlation between the duration of input data and performance was not statistically significant (P=.09). Conclusions These findings suggest that PGHD from an mHealth app could be a complementary tool for influenza screening. In addition, PGHD, along with traditional clinical data, could be used to improve health conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunwoo Choo
- Department of Digital Health, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | | | | | | | - Soo-Yong Shin
- Department of Digital Health, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Big Data Research Center, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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