Abstract
We conducted in-depth analysis on the use of a popular Chinese social networking and microblogging site, Sina Weibo, to monitor an avian influenza A(H7N9) outbreak in China and to assess the value of social networking sites in the surveillance of disease outbreaks that occur overseas. Two data sets were employed for our analysis: a line listing of confirmed cases obtained from conventional public health information channels and case information from Weibo posts. Our findings showed that the level of activity on Weibo corresponded with the number of new cases reported. In addition, the reporting of new cases on Weibo was significantly faster than those of conventional reporting sites and non-local news media. A qualitative review of the functions of Weibo also revealed that Weibo enabled timely monitoring of other outbreak-relevant information, provided access to additional crowd-sourced epidemiological information and was leveraged by the local government as an interactive platform for risk communication and monitoring public sentiment on the policy response. Our analysis demonstrated the potential for social networking sites to be used by public health agencies to enhance traditional communicable disease surveillance systems for the global surveillance of overseas public health threats. Social networking sites also can be used by governments for calibration of response policies and measures and for risk communication.
Highlights
We conducted in-depth analysis on the use of a popular Chinese social networking and microblogging site, Sina Weibo, to monitor an avian influenza A(H7N9) outbreak in China and to assess the value of social networking sites in the surveillance of disease outbreaks that occur overseas
Our analysis demonstrated the potential for social networking sites to be used by public health agencies to enhance traditional communicable disease surveillance systems for the global surveillance of overseas public health threats
The first included a line listing of confirmed cases obtained from conventional public health information channels, including the official website of Chinese a Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Public Health Group, Ministry of Health, Singapore. b Social and Cognitive Computing Department and Computing Science Department, Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore. c School of Business, Public Administration and Information Sciences, Long Island University Brooklyn, New York, United States of America. * The first two authors contributed to this study
Summary
We conducted in-depth analysis on the use of a popular Chinese social networking and microblogging site, Sina Weibo, to monitor an avian influenza A(H7N9) outbreak in China and to assess the value of social networking sites in the surveillance of disease outbreaks that occur overseas. In Singapore, to follow the rapidly evolving A(H7N9) outbreak in China, we supplemented information obtained from conventional public health information channels with posts from Sina Weibo (www.weibo.com; Weibo). China with more than 500 million registered users as of February 2013 It was one of the fastest social networking platforms to report breaking news on A(H7N9) and was leveraged by health authorities, media and the public to monitor outbreak-related information.[5]. To evaluate the relevance of social networking sites as a new platform in the global surveillance of disease outbreaks external to Singapore, we carried out an indepth analysis to review and verify the functions of Weibo in the monitoring of the A(H7N9) outbreak in China
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