Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
2 Suppl 1
pubmed:dateCreated
2003-6-6
pubmed:abstractText
Since 1998, the New York City Department of Health has used New York City Emergency Medical Services (EMS) ambulance dispatch data to monitor for a communitywide rise in influenzalike illness (ILI) as an early detection system for bioterrorism. A clinical validation study was conducted during peak influenza season at six New York City emergency departments (EDs) to compare patients with ILI brought in by ambulance with other patients to examine potential biases associated with ambulance dispatch-based surveillance. We also examined the utility of 4 EMS call types (selected from 52) for case detection of ILI. Clinical ILI was defined as fever (temperature higher than 100 degrees F) on history or exam, along with either cough or sore throat. Of the 2,294 ED visits reviewed, 522 patients (23%) met the case definition for ILI, 64 (12%) of whom arrived by ambulance. Patients with ILI brought in by ambulance were older, complained of more severe symptoms, and were more likely to undergo diagnostic testing, be diagnosed with pneumonia, and be admitted to the hospital than patients who arrived by other means. The median duration of symptoms prior to presenting to the ED, however, was the same for both groups (48 hours). The selected call types had a sensitivity of 58% for clinical ILI, and a predictive value positive of 22%. Individuals with symptoms consistent with the prodrome of inhalational anthrax were likely to utilize the EMS system and usually did so early in the course of illness. While EMS-based surveillance is more sensitive for severe illness and for illness affecting older individuals, there is not necessarily a loss of timeliness associated with EMS-based (versus ED-based) surveillance.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jun
pubmed:issn
1099-3460
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
80
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
i50-6
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Adolescent, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Adult, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Aged, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Ambulances, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Bioterrorism, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Child, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Child, Preschool, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Data Collection, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Emergency Medical Service Communication Systems, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Emergency Medical Services, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Female, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Humans, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Infant, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Infant, Newborn, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Influenza, Human, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Male, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Middle Aged, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-New York City, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Population Surveillance, pubmed-meshheading:12791779-Public Health Informatics
pubmed:year
2003
pubmed:articleTitle
Clinical evaluation of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) ambulance dispatch-based syndromic surveillance system, New York City.
pubmed:affiliation
Bureau of Communicable Disease, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY 10013, USA. jgreenko@health.nyc.gov
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Comparative Study