Google as an Early Warning System

More evidence as to where people go first for information.

Link to November 12 New York Times article, "Google Uses Searches to Track Flu’s Spread" (Print headline and sub-headline: "Aches, a Sneeze, a Google Search. Data on web may warn of outbreaks of flu.")

Excerpt:
There is a new common symptom of the flu, in addition to the usual aches, coughs, fevers and sore throats. Turns out a lot of ailing Americans enter phrases like "flu symptoms” into Google and other search engines before they call their doctors. That simple act, multiplied across millions of keyboards in homes around the country, has given rise to a new early warning system for fast-spreading flu outbreaks, called Google Flu Trends.

Perhaps libraries should consider promoting easy access to flu information on their home pages particularly local information, such as where to get a flu shot. (Retiring Guy will be receiving his on Friday at the Middleton Senior Center.)

The following websites aren't necessarily recommendations. They ended up at the top of the list for a "flu symptoms" search.

flufacts.com. The top, non-sponsored link -- and likely to be the one that people click on first. No clear "About Us" statement, but a link at the bottom of each webpage indicates the information is provided by the pharmaceutical giant Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. One feature, "Track the Flu in Your Area", allows you to type in your zip code. The results are for Milwaukee -- low severity -- which may or may not be applicable to the Madison area. And there's no mention of how current this information is. No ads (discounting the "Roche" name).

Center for Disease Control. Next link on my hit list. As a result of using "symptoms" as one of the search terms, you need to back up to the "seasonal flu" webpage to obtain information on flu activity in the U.S. You then have to scroll down past 1 table and 3 graphs to find a U.S. map. The CDC's "Weekly Influenza Activity Estimates" (for the week ending November 1) indicate "no activity" in Wisconsin. No ads.

WebMD. According to Wikipedia, WebMD is the leading health portal in the U.S. The "flu guide" page page provides a better overview of the topic. You'll find ads here, and beware of a survey pop-up. Didn't find a flu activity map, though I didn't strain myself looking for one. I did stumble upon this article announcing that Wisconsin's first flu case of the season has been confirmed -- as of Monday, Nov. 10, in Kenosha.

When I tried the search terms "flu guide", following up on WebMD's terminology, flufacts.com (Roche Pharmaceuticals) ended up as the sponsored hit. And guess where this link took me? To the "flu treatment and prevention" page, which featured this illustration. (Based on the search results, "flu guide" is a poor choice of words.)

Not-so-subtle message: Drugs are the answer -- preferably ours.

Mayo Clinic. Though not #4 on my hit list, the Mayo Clinic did end up on the first page. (My "Top 40 Reference Countdown", a relic from the days when print reference collections were actually growing, featured the Mayo Clinic Family Health Book. Full disclosure: I always had a soft spot in my collection development heart for Mayo titles.)