Telephone Survey to Assess Influenza-like Illness in the US
Author Information
Author(s): Joseph L. Malone, Mohammad Madjid, S. Ward Casscells
Primary Institution: University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, USA
Hypothesis
Can a nationwide telephone survey effectively monitor at-home patients during low influenza activity months?
Conclusion
The study suggests that telephone surveys can provide accurate health status information during periods of low influenza activity.
Supporting Evidence
- 86% of contacted adults agreed to participate in the survey.
- Only 3% of respondents self-reported having the flu.
- Telephone surveys may improve situational awareness during a pandemic.
Takeaway
Researchers called people to ask if they had the flu and found that many were willing to share their health information, which could help track flu cases better.
Methodology
A telephone survey was conducted with randomly selected adults to assess their health status and symptoms related to influenza-like illness.
Potential Biases
Potential biases due to the sequential questioning approach and exclusion of non-landline users.
Limitations
The survey was conducted only during low influenza activity months, and self-reported data may be subject to recall bias.
Participant Demographics
Participants were from representative socioeconomic and racial/ethnic groups across the United States.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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