Are School Absences Correlated with Influenza Surveillance Data in England? Results from Decipher My Data-A Research Project Conducted through Scientific Engagement with Schools
Are School Absences Correlated with Influenza Surveillance Data in England? Results from Decipher My Data-A Research Project Conducted through Scientific Engagement with Schools
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DOI：
10.1371/journal.pone.0146964
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发表时间：
2016-03-02
期刊：
影响因子：
3.7
通讯作者：
McCracken, Shane
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Aldridge, Robert W.;Hayward, Andrew C.;McCracken, Shane
研究背景学龄儿童是流感传播的关键环节。大多数病例与卫生服务很少或没有相互作用，因此被大多数现有监测系统遗漏。作为公众参与科学项目的一部分，本研究旨在建立一个基于网络的系统，收集常规的缺课数据，并确定缺课的患病率是否与既定的监测措施循环influenza.MethodsWe收集了两个流感季节（2011/12和2012/13）的数据。主要结果是11至16岁儿童的每日缺课率（加权后具有全国代表性）。学校缺课率采用三角形图解法，并通过单变量线性回归，与皇家全科医师学院（RCGP）流感样疾病（ILI）发病率、全国流感（A+B）、鼻病毒、RSV和实验室确诊诺如病毒样本阳性比例的微生物学监测数据进行分析。在第一个流感季节，以缺课率和已建立的监测来衡量的流感水平很低。在2012/13赛季，在RCGP ILI监测数据中，第51周和第1周出现缺课率高峰。线性回归显示，学校缺席的患病率和RCGP ILI（所有年龄段，5-14岁的奥尔兹），实验室确诊的甲型流感和B的病例之间有很强的关联，和弱的证据与鼻病毒和诺如病毒的线性关联。我们通过积极参与建立的基于网络的数据收集平台网络提供了进行科学研究的创新模式，可用于未来广泛的传染病研究。
BackgroundSchool aged children are a key link in the transmission of influenza. Most cases have little or no interaction with health services and are therefore missed by the majority of existing surveillance systems. As part of a public engagement with science project, this study aimed to establish a web-based system for the collection of routine school absence data and determine if school absence prevalence was correlated with established surveillance measures for circulating influenza.MethodsWe collected data for two influenza seasons (2011/12 and 2012/13). The primary outcome was daily school absence prevalence (weighted to make it nationally representative) for children aged 11 to 16. School absence prevalence was triangulated graphically and through univariable linear regression to Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) influenza like illness (ILI) episode incidence rate, national microbiological surveillance data on the proportion of samples positive for influenza (A+B) and with Rhinovirus, RSV and laboratory confirmed cases of Norovirus.Results27 schools submitted data over two respiratory seasons. During the first season, levels of influenza measured by school absence prevalence and established surveillance were low. In the 2012/13 season, a peak of school absence prevalence occurred in week 51, and week 1 in RCGP ILI surveillance data. Linear regression showed a strong association between the school absence prevalence and RCGP ILI ( All ages, and 5-14 year olds), laboratory confirmed cases of influenza A & B, and weak evidence for a linear association with Rhinovirus and Norovirus.InterpretationThis study provides initial evidence for using routine school illness absence prevalence as a novel tool for influenza surveillance. The network of web-based data collection platforms we established through active engagement provides an innovative model of conducting scientific research and could be used for a wide range of infectious disease studies in the future.