Open data and public health

Abstract

This article provides an overview of the intersection of open data and public health by first defining open government data, public health data, and other key concepts and relevant terminologies. There are differing perceptions on the urgency and importance of the openness of public health data. It has been established that disease outbreaks such as happened during the Ebola and Zika virus epidemics are indicative of the need for countries to develop a framework that will provide guidance for the management of public health data. Such a framework should ensure that data collected during public health emergencies are accessible to the appropriate authorities and in a form that can help with timely decision-making during such public health crises. In this article, we highlight available open data policies across many countries, including in the Americas. Our analysis shows that there are currently no articulated policy guidelines for the collection and management of public health data across many countries, especially in Latin America. We propose that any national data governance strategy must address potential benefits, possible risks, examples of data that could be shared, and the attributes of such data. Finally, we stress that the key concern in the Americas should be the development of regional frameworks for open data in public health that can be adopted or adapted by each country through appropriate national or subnational policies and strategies.

The sharing of research data facing the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Thus, it has been reported that data sharing was important during the influenza virus A subtype H1N1 epidemic of 2009; however, it was not as significant with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) epidemic, first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012, and the Ebola epidemics in 2014–2016, which revealed gaps in the open availability of the genetic sequences of the virus (Yozwiak et al, 2015 ). The Ebola, dengue and Zika epidemics have evidenced the need to develop infrastructures for the proper management of data of interest to public health (D’Agostino et al, 2018 ), as well as the establishment of codes of conduct that should govern the exchange of data on new biological threats (Capua, 2016 ).…”

Contributing to Elimination of Cross-Border Malaria Through a Standardized Solution for Case Surveillance, Data Sharing, and Data Interpretation: Development of a Cross-Border Monitoring System

“…This approach is likely to facilitate the participation of surveillance agencies in the development of a CBMIS, whereas these agencies would be “reluctant to abandon their own data schemata in favor of a standard schema supplied by someone else” [ 20 ]. In that sense, the proposed approach differs from recommendations provided in D’Agostino et al [ 22 ] to facilitate data sharing in public health, which include the development of regional frameworks that “can be adopted or adapted by each country through national or subnational policies” as a prerequisite for the realization of data interoperability.…”

Effects of Body Mass Index (BMI), demographic and socioeconomic factors on organized physical activity (OPA) participation in children aged 6-15 years: a cross-sectional study comparing primary and secondary school children in Greece

“…Cross-sectional researches in preschool and school children and their parents showed that parents whoare physically active, are more likely to support their children’s engagement in physical activity [ 36 , 37 ]. Possible mechanisms for the relationship between parents’ and child’s activity levels include the parents’ serving as role models, enhancement and support by active parents of their child’s participation in physical activity, and genetically transmitted factors that predispose the child to be more physically active [ 38 ].Furthermore, the Greek family fits the ‘Mediterranean model’and consequently, it shares similar socio-demographic characteristics with other Mediterranean countries, meaning that traditional values and roles (marriage, family ties) are prevalent [ 39 ]. Thus, parents have a sound effect on their children’s every day habits.…”