LIKE FOR AWARENESS , TWEET FOR RESPONSE
Ming-Hsiang Tsou believes that algorithms that may be applied to tweets and information stored in mobile phones can be used to predict and track outbreaks .
“ Traditional methods of collecting patient data , reporting to health officials and compiling reports are costly and time consuming ,” said Tsou . “ In recent years , syndromic surveillance tools have expanded and researchers are able to exploit the vast amount of data available in real time on the Internet at minimal cost .”
Given the popularity of social media , infectious disease surveillance systems that use data-sharing technologies to accurately track social media data could potentially inform early warning systems and outbreak response , and facilitate
communication between health-care providers and local , national and international health authorities .
Social Media Tracking : Then and Now Currently there are no official national programs for disease surveillance via social media , but several systems are being used as complementary sources of information .
For example , disease detection app Flu Near You helps predict outbreaks of the flu in real time . Users self-report symptoms in a weekly survey , which the app then analyzes and maps to show where pockets of influenza-like illness are located . Flu Near You is administered by HealthMap in partnership with the American Public Health Association
‘ What potential do the vast amounts of data shared through social media hold in indentifying outbreaks and controlling the disease ?’ 9