Pandemic-related health behavior: repeat episodes of influenza-like illness related to the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic

Abstract

The Houston Health Department (HHD) in Texas tracks influenza-like illness (ILI) in the community through its Influenza Sentinel Surveillance Program, which began in 2008. After the influenza A(H1N1) pandemic (pH1N1) in 2009, investigators sought to assess the feasibility of this program as a non-traditional data source for tracking and monitoring care-seeking activities. Through the process of characterizing and describing patients who had 'return visits', or who were considered the heaviest ILI-related care-utilizers, the investigators sought to understand the strengths and limitations of this data source. Data used for this study were obtained from a multispecialty clinic in Houston, Texas between August 2008 and January 2011 across three phases: pre-pH1N1, pH1N1, and post-pH1N1. The data, which comprised of 4047 patient visits, yielded 150 return visits. We found an increase in the number of visits for ILI and proportion of return visits during the pandemic phase (pH1N1), as well as differences in the likelihood of a return visit between genders and age groups. More broadly, the findings of this study provide important considerations for future research and expose important gaps in using surveillance data to assess sick-role behaviors.

Heightened Willingness toward Pneumococcal Vaccination in the Elderly Population in Shenzhen, China: A Cross-Sectional Study during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…This finding should be noticed and worthy of in-depth exploration. As described before, health-seeking behaviors probably increase regarding illnesses with symptoms similar to the pandemic [20][21][22][23]. Several prior studies demonstrated much more health-seeking behaviors and patient visits worldwide under the H1N1 pandemic situation than during non-pandemic periods among individuals with influenza-like symptoms [20][21][22][23].…”

“…As described before, health-seeking behaviors probably increase regarding illnesses with symptoms similar to the pandemic [20][21][22][23]. Several prior studies demonstrated much more health-seeking behaviors and patient visits worldwide under the H1N1 pandemic situation than during non-pandemic periods among individuals with influenza-like symptoms [20][21][22][23]. Meanwhile, an infodemiology study recently found that since coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been confirmed as a Public Health Emergency of Concern in 2020, the public awareness of health increased primarily regarding symptoms that similar to those of COVID-19, including influenza, pneumococcal pneumonia, and their vaccines [24].…”

“…In general, public interest in vaccinations and health-seeking behavior during outbreaks may increase concerning diseases that expressed similar symptoms to the outbreak [20][21][22][23]. An infodemiology study has confirmed a peak in global interest in pneumococcal vaccine matched up with the COVID-19 pandemic between February and March 2020 [24].…”

Silver lining of COVID-19: Heightened global interest in pneumococcal and influenza vaccines, an infodemiology study

“…Though there are ongoing trials of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine [2] and SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine [3] for use on COVID-19, no vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 has been approved for public use. Public interest in vaccinations and health-seeking behavior generally increase during outbreaks, particularly with regard to illnesses that manifest with symptoms similar to those of the pandemic [4][5][6][7]. A study in Spain documented a higher volume of phone calls for flu-like symptoms and influenza vaccinations during the flu season and during awareness campaigns [6].…”

Modeling and Forecasting Influenza-like Illness (ILI) in Houston, Texas Using Three Surveillance Data Capture Mechanisms

“…The sentinel provider network was instrumental in monitoring the novel 2009 H1N1 pandemic in Houston [7]. More recently, the ILI data has been used to explore the dynamics of patient health behavior associated with repeat episodes of ILI [8]. However, no attempt has been made thus far to evaluate the forecasting capabilities of existing syndromic surveillance systems (ILINet, hospital EC visit data, and FNY) using Houston’s data.…”