Infoveillance

Infoveillance is a term that refers to the systematic monitoring of information and news sources to track the development and spread of specific health-related events or diseases. It is a type of public health surveillance that uses digital technology and data analysis to monitor and predict health trends.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Infoveillance is a portmanteau of "information" and "surveillance". It is a form of digital epidemiology that uses data from various online sources, such as social media, search engine queries, and news reports, to monitor and predict health trends. The term was coined by Gunther Eysenbach, a researcher in the field of health informatics, in 2009.

Methodology[edit | edit source]

Infoveillance relies on the analysis of big data from various online sources. These sources can include social media posts, search engine queries, and news reports. The data is then analyzed using various statistical and computational methods to identify patterns and trends related to specific health issues.

Applications[edit | edit source]

Infoveillance has been used in various public health contexts, including the monitoring of influenza outbreaks, the spread of Zika virus, and the tracking of COVID-19 cases. It has also been used to monitor public sentiment towards health-related issues, such as vaccination and smoking cessation.

Limitations[edit | edit source]

While infoveillance can provide valuable insights into health trends, it also has several limitations. These include the potential for bias in the data, the difficulty of verifying the accuracy of online information, and the challenge of protecting privacy in the digital age.

References[edit | edit source]

Infoveillance Resources
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