• FluTrackers.com Inc. does not provide medical advice. Information on this web site is collected from various internet resources, and the FluTrackers board of directors makes no warranty to the safety, efficacy, correctness or completeness of the information posted on this site by any author or poster. The information collated here is for instructional and/or discussion purposes only and is NOT intended to diagnose or treat any disease, illness, or other medical condition. Every individual reader or poster should seek advice from their personal physician/healthcare practitioner before considering or using any interventions that are discussed on this website. By continuing to access this website you agree to consult your personal physican before using any interventions posted on this website, and you agree to hold harmless FluTrackers.com Inc., the board of directors, the members, and all authors and posters for any effects from use of any medication, supplement, vitamin or other substance, device, intervention, etc. mentioned in posts on this website, or other internet venues referenced in posts on this website.
  • We are not asking for any donations. Do not donate to any entity who says they are raising funds for us.

Influence of Media on Seasonal Influenza Epidemic Curves

tetano

Editor, Senior Moderator
Int J Infect Dis. 2016 Jul 11. pii: S1201-9712(16)31112-2. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2016.07.005. [Epub ahead of print]
[h=1]Influence of Media on Seasonal Influenza Epidemic Curves.[/h] Saito S[SUP]1[/SUP], Saito N[SUP]2[/SUP], Itoga M[SUP]3[/SUP], Ozaki H[SUP]4[/SUP], Kimura T[SUP]4[/SUP], Okamura Y[SUP]5[/SUP], Murakami H[SUP]6[/SUP], Kayaba H[SUP]7[/SUP].
[h=3]Author information[/h]

[h=3]Abstract[/h] [h=4]BACK GROUND:[/h] Theoretical investigations predicting the epidemic curves have been demonstrated so far; however, there is little empirical research using ever accumulated epidemic curves. The effects of vaccine coverage and information distribution on influenza epidemics were evaluated.
[h=4]MATERIALS AND METHODS:[/h] Four indices for epidemics (i.e., onset-peak duration, onset-end duration, ratio of the onset-peak duration to onset-end duration and steepness of epidemic curves) were defined, and the correlations between these indices and anti-flu drug prescription dose, vaccine coverage, the volume of media and search trend on influenza through internet were analyzed. Epidemiological data on seasonal influenza epidemics from 2002/2003 to 2013/2014 excluding 2009/2010 season were collected from National Institute of Infectious Diseases of Japan.
[h=4]RESULTS:[/h] The onset-peak duration and its ratio to onset-end duration correlated inversely with the volume of anti-flu drug prescription. Onset-peak duration correlated positively with media information volume on influenza. The steepness of the epidemic curve, and anti-flu drug prescription dose inversely correlated with the volume of media information. Pre-epidemic search trend and media volume on influenza correlated with the vaccine coverage in the season. Vaccine coverage had no strong effect on epidemic curve.
[h=4]CONCLUSION:[/h] Education through media has an effect on the epidemic curve of seasonal influenza.
Copyright ? 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.


[h=4]KEYWORDS:[/h] Education; Epidemic; Influenza; Information Distribution; Vaccine Coverage

PMID: 27418579 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2016.07.005
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
 
Back
Top Bottom