Using clinicians' search query data to monitor influenza epidemics

Clin Infect Dis. 2014 Nov 15;59(10):1446-50. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciu647. Epub 2014 Aug 12.

Abstract

Search query information from a clinician's database, UpToDate, is shown to predict influenza epidemics in the United States in a timely manner. Our results show that digital disease surveillance tools based on experts' databases may be able to provide an alternative, reliable, and stable signal for accurate predictions of influenza outbreaks.

Keywords: Internet-based disease surveillance; digital disease detection; prediction of influenza.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Databases, Factual*
  • Decision Support Techniques
  • Humans
  • Influenza, Human / epidemiology*
  • Internet
  • Physicians*
  • Population Surveillance* / methods
  • Reproducibility of Results