The power of Google and its search engine is quickly entering all aspects of our increasingly online world. Imagine if Google knew before anyone else that an outbreak of the flu could put you at risk of getting sick. Google could alert your doctors and public health officials before you potentially became ill. I certainly would have no objection to any tool Google had that might reduce my chances of becoming ill, would you?
Thankfully, we may not have to imagine anymore. At the start of this year’s flu season in the United States, Google’s philanthropic unit revealed a new web tool called Google Flu Trends. Google Flu Trends stems from the simple idea that people who are feeling sick will likely turn to the Internet for information, typing their symptoms into Google. “The service tracks such queries and charts their ebb and flow, broken down by regions and states,” allowing the service to detect outbreaks and notify the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in real time.
I am in favor of Google Flu Trends. The flu is more than a cough and a cold. Symptoms may include high fever, fatigue, sweating, shortness of breath and vomiting. The article states that between 5 percent and 20 percent of the United States contracts the flu each year. What many people do not know is that the flu can be deadly in some cases. During my senior year, I was hospitalized for an unknown illness. The doctors spent hours taking blood tests, antigen detection tests— the swabbing of the nose and throat-- and x-rays in order to determine what was wrong with me. Shortly after the doctor suggested a spinal tap, the results came back that I, indeed, had the flu.
When the flu is widespread in a community, the diagnosis can often be made by simply identifying symptoms without further testing. This is the goal of Google Flu Trends.. By the time the community grew aware of the outbreak, I was already ill. I was out of school for two weeks and low on energy for even longer. Any possible way to receive an earlier warning of an outbreak could put prevention and control measures into place more quickly, preventing the cases of influenza.
Some public health officials say that many health departments already use other techniques to keep daily tabs on disease trends in their own communities. Gathering data from visits to the emergency room may be effective, but not compared to the number of people that visit the Internet when they feel ill. Many prefer the Web to a visit to the doctor until the symptoms become worse. The Web saves time spent at the doctor’s office, money spent on the appointment and stress wondering what the results of tests will come up. My roommate this past weekend looked up what the spots on her tonsils may be in an attempt to avoid the health center. A new tool that will monitor disease trends will only benefit the health departments.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/technology/internet/12flu.html?ref=technology
1 comment:
The concept of Google Flu Trends could potentially benefit many Americans. I know that I, personally, along with many others “google” just about anything, including symptoms when I’m feeling sick. It is nice to see that Google is putting its advanced technology to good use and warning others of possible flu outbreaks. If Google can track the parts of the United States where this epidemic is located, it would be extremely beneficial for everyone. People could potentially diagnose themselves, saving them the time and aggravation in a doctor’s office. I agree that Google Flu Trend is a useful addition to Google’s family, but I do question how accurate the information given actually is. The published information may be accurate for some people but could be completely different for another, causing that person to misdiagnose themselves. In conclusion, I am definitely in favor of the Google Flu Trend but while this is in its beginning stages, I would not advise you to skip a visit to the doctor during flu season.
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