Yasmin Seema, Pogreba-Brown Kristen, Stewart Jennifer, Sunenshine Rebecca
Epidemic Intelligence Service (Dr Yasmin) and Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (Dr Sunenshine), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson (Dr Pogreba-Brown); and Maricopa County Department of Public Health, Phoenix, Arizona (Drs Yasmin and Sunenshine and Ms Stewart).
J Public Health Manag Pract. 2014 Mar-Apr;20(2):205-9. doi: 10.1097/PHH.0b013e31829a2cf5.
An outbreak of gastrointestinal (GI) illness among retirement community residents was reported to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health. Online surveys can be useful for rapid investigation of disease outbreaks, especially when local health departments lack time and resources to perform telephone interviews. Online survey utility among older populations, which may lack computer access or literacy, has not been defined.
To investigate and implement prevention measures for a GI outbreak and assess the utility of an online survey among retirement community residents.
A retrospective cohort investigation was conducted using an online survey distributed through the retirement community e-mail listserv; a follow-up telephone survey was conducted to assess computer literacy and Internet access. A case was defined as any GI illness occurring among residents during March 1-14, 2012.
A barbecue in a retirement community of 3000 residents.
Retirement community residents.
Residents were directed to discard leftover food and seek health care for symptoms. A telephone survey was conducted to assess the utility of online surveys in this population.
Computer literacy and Internet access of retirement community residents.
Of 1000 residents on the listserv, 370 (37%) completed the online survey (mean age, 69.7 years; 60.6% women); 66 residents (17.8%) reported a GI illness after the barbecue, 63 (95.5%) reported diarrhea, and 5 (7.6%) reported vomiting. Leftover beef from an attendee's refrigerator grew Clostridium perfringens. Of 552 residents contacted by telephone, 113 completed the telephone survey (mean age, 71.3 years; 63.3% women), 101 (89.4%) reported the ability to send e-mail, 82 (81.2%) checked e-mail daily, and 28 (27.7%) checked e-mail on a handheld device. The attack rate was 17.8% for online versus 2.7% for telephone respondents (P < .001).
This outbreak demonstrated the utility of an online survey to rapidly collect information and implement prevention measures among an older demographic.
马里科帕县公共卫生部门接到报告，退休社区居民中爆发了胃肠道疾病。在线调查对于疾病爆发的快速调查可能有用，特别是当当地卫生部门缺乏时间和资源进行电话访谈时。老年人群体可能缺乏计算机使用机会或相关知识，在线调查在这部分人群中的实用性尚未明确。
调查并实施针对胃肠道疾病爆发的预防措施，评估在线调查在退休社区居民中的实用性。
通过退休社区电子邮件列表分发在线调查问卷进行回顾性队列研究；进行后续电话调查以评估计算机知识水平和互联网接入情况。病例定义为2012年3月1日至14日期间居民中发生的任何胃肠道疾病。
一个有3000名居民的退休社区内的一次烧烤活动。
退休社区居民。
指导居民丢弃剩余食物，并针对症状寻求医疗护理。进行电话调查以评估在线调查在该人群中的实用性。
退休社区居民的计算机知识水平和互联网接入情况。
在列表中的1000名居民中，370人（37%）完成了在线调查（平均年龄69.7岁；女性占60.6%）；66名居民（17.8%）在烧烤活动后报告患有胃肠道疾病，63人（95.5%）报告腹泻，5人（7.6%）报告呕吐。从一名参与者冰箱中取出的剩余牛肉培养出产气荚膜梭菌。在通过电话联系的552名居民中，113人完成了电话调查（平均年龄71.3岁；女性占63.3%），101人（89.4%）报告有发送电子邮件的能力，82人（81.2%）每天查看电子邮件，28人（27.7%）在手持设备上查看电子邮件。在线调查的发病率为17.8%，电话调查受访者为2.7%（P <.001）。
此次疫情表明在线调查在快速收集信息以及在老年人群体中实施预防措施方面具有实用性。
