title: GotFlu channel: an online syndromic surveillance tool supporting college health practice and public health work.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Develop a tool to ease the burden of H1N1 influenza on a campus clinic by promoting self-care, generating medical notes, and identifying vulnerable students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students at Brock University, a mid-sized urban campus; Brock's Student Health Services; and Niagara Public Health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students accessed a controlled portal of Brock's Web site and self-identified onset/offset of influenza-like symptoms. Daily sign-in numbers were monitored and nonidentifiable aggregate data transferred to the local public health unit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was concordance among the number of college students signing in, local school absenteeism rates, and local rates of laboratory-confirmed influenza. Many visits to the campus health clinic were averted, 1,432 students used the tool.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The online, real-time surveillance tool was effective in monitoring influenza activity on campus, providing timely health advice, decreasing unnecessary visits to the campus medical clinic, and assisting local public health in surveillance activities.
authors.affiliation: Niagara Public Health, Thorold, Ontario, Canada. valerie.jaeger@niagararegion.ca
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jaeger
authors.forename: Melodie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shick-Porter
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Darrell
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wolfe
mesh_terms: D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000379:methods*; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods*; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D013333:Student Health Services / Q000379:methods*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014495:Universities