Comments on: GoogleFlu http://gruntdoc.com/2008/11/googleflu.html Ramblings of an Emergency Physician in Texas Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:48:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: RedScrubs Weekly Wrap-up 11-14-08 - RedScrubs http://gruntdoc.com/2008/11/googleflu.html/comment-page-1#comment-14912 RedScrubs Weekly Wrap-up 11-14-08 - RedScrubs Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:54:48 +0000 http://gruntdoc.com/2008/11/googleflu.html#comment-14912 [...] GoogleFlu? By GruntDoc [...] [...] GoogleFlu? By GruntDoc [...]

]]> By: Top BLOG Post 11-14-2008 - RedScrubs http://gruntdoc.com/2008/11/googleflu.html/comment-page-1#comment-14910 Top BLOG Post 11-14-2008 - RedScrubs Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:11:53 +0000 http://gruntdoc.com/2008/11/googleflu.html#comment-14910 [...] GoogleFlu? [...] [...] GoogleFlu? [...]

]]> By: Steve http://gruntdoc.com/2008/11/googleflu.html/comment-page-1#comment-14906 Steve Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:33:58 +0000 http://gruntdoc.com/2008/11/googleflu.html#comment-14906 I'd rather stick with the CDC reports. Anyone who has been blogging for more than a month knows about the unusual search phrases that occasionally bring traffic into your website. I’d rather stick with the CDC reports. Anyone who has been blogging for more than a month knows about the unusual search phrases that occasionally bring traffic into your website.

]]> By: Freddy Hill http://gruntdoc.com/2008/11/googleflu.html/comment-page-1#comment-14899 Freddy Hill Thu, 13 Nov 2008 05:11:06 +0000 http://gruntdoc.com/2008/11/googleflu.html#comment-14899 No, of course it is not tracking flu cases. It is tracking interest in influenza. The number of queries would be expected to raise as flu season starts and flu magic potions start to get advertised on TV, for example, or when people drive around and see a billboard for flu vaccination at their corner supermarket. But in addition to all of this, peaks in interest may pop from the background noise. Apparently some of these peaks are said to lead actual peaks in flu cases by 8 days or so. See <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/technology/internet/12flu.html?_r=2&sq=google%20and%20influenza&st=cse&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&scp=1&adxnnlx=1226552150-SOzHTuP52VaZbMrZPwIBAw" rel="nofollow">the NYT article</a> for example. It may be a bit like predicting earthquakes by observing the behavior of your chickens: not a exact science, but it may prove beneficial in the geographical allocation of resources, or as an early heads-up for health professionals. That's for professionals like you to evaluate, GruntDoc. I myself, as a layman, plan to very conscienciously avoid looking at it. On the other hand, I may set up a google query frequency report on the query "What is Ebola?," then run for the hills if it ever shows a significant peak. No, of course it is not tracking flu cases. It is tracking interest in influenza. The number of queries would be expected to raise as flu season starts and flu magic potions start to get advertised on TV, for example, or when people drive around and see a billboard for flu vaccination at their corner supermarket.

But in addition to all of this, peaks in interest may pop from the background noise. Apparently some of these peaks are said to lead actual peaks in flu cases by 8 days or so. See the NYT article for example. It may be a bit like predicting earthquakes by observing the behavior of your chickens: not a exact science, but it may prove beneficial in the geographical allocation of resources, or as an early heads-up for health professionals. That’s for professionals like you to evaluate, GruntDoc. I myself, as a layman, plan to very conscienciously avoid looking at it.

On the other hand, I may set up a google query frequency report on the query “What is Ebola?,” then run for the hills if it ever shows a significant peak.

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