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Dr. Gwenn: Can "Dr. Google" Track The Flu?

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I saw the headline yesterday and heard the reports all over the news today but had to check it out with my own eyes: Google claims to be able to track the flu 10 days earlier than the CDC flu surveillance map we all know and love by now.

Eventually there will be so much flu activity that both maps will look exactly the same but right now flu activity is relatively low nation-wide. So, comparing the two maps is rather eye opening, at least to me.

Here's what you need to know about each type of tracking map so you know what you will get from each:

Google Flu Trends:

* The map is very interactive: you roll over the state and a nice description emerges.
* The map relies on shades of colors which deepen as the "activity" worsens.
* The information is extrapolated from search terms which, interestingly, seem to be ahead of the CDC data by 2 weeks. Here's a link to a page that demonstrates Google compared to CDC from last year's flu season.
* Google admits this system is still "experimental" so we have to be open to the fact that search trends may change and the strong interest in everything flu may be creating an interesting coincidence.

CDC Flu Chart:

* The CDC maps lag behind real-time due to the time needed to collect and evaluate the data. For example, this week's map is for week ending November 1, 2008.
* The data presented are accurate and not extrapolated so we can trust what the map reflects and not worry about the type of error that could be present with Google Flu Trends.

Conclusions:

Time will tell whether Dr. Google will be able to keep pace with the CDC as we move forward during this flu season but early signs are promising and the implications in clinical medicine very powerful.

But, this is really just the tip of the iceberg. If Google succeeds with the flu, this technology could be applied to other illnesses and public health issues. Just think of what we could accomplish if we could understand real time what is really happening in our communities and the communities we are planning on visiting?

In it's article on Google Flu Trends, The New York Times covers this very issues and concludes with the following thought-proving words:

"...Google Flu Trends appears to be the first public project that uses the powerful database of a search engine to track a disease."

“This seems like a really clever way of using data that is created unintentionally by the users of Google to see patterns in the world that would otherwise be invisible,” said Thomas W. Malone, a professor at the Sloan School of Management at M.I.T. “I think we are just scratching the surface of what’s possible with collective intelligence.”

BIO:
I’m a pediatrician, health journalist, mother, wife, musician, Starbucks frequenter, and lover of popular culture. With so many hats, no wonder my head is flattening! If all goes well, we’ll share a virtual cup o’jo from time to time and learn something new about the world. Thanks for stopping by and giving me a few minutes of the time I know you have precious little of these days!

Visit Dr. Gwenn at her blog:
http://pediatricsnow.blogspot.com/

To share your flu tips and experiences with the EmpowHer community visit, https://www.empowher.com/share.

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Dr. Gwenn
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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

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