title: A proposal for a computer-based framework of support for public health in the management of biological incidents: the Czech Republic experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Biological incidents jeopardising public health require decision-making that consists of one dominant feature: complexity. Therefore, public health decision-makers necessitate appropriate support.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on the analogy with business intelligence (BI) principles, the contextual analysis of the environment and available data resources, and conceptual modelling within systems and knowledge engineering, this paper proposes a general framework for computer-based decision support in the case of a biological incident. At the outset, the analysis of potential inputs to the framework is conducted and several resources such as demographic information, strategic documents, environmental characteristics, agent descriptors and surveillance systems are considered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consequently, three prototypes were developed, tested and evaluated by a group of experts. Their selection was based on the overall framework scheme. Subsequently, an ontology prototype linked with an inference engine, multi-agent-based model focusing on the simulation of an environment, and expert-system prototypes were created.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All prototypes proved to be utilisable support tools for decision-making in the field of public health. Nevertheless, the research revealed further issues and challenges that might be investigated by both public health focused researchers and practitioners.
authors.affiliation: University of Hradec Králové, Faculty of Informatics and Management, Czech Republic. vladimir.bures@uhk.cz
authors.forename: Vladimír
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bures
authors.forename: Tereza
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otcenásková
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cech
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Antos
mesh_terms: D055885:Biohazard Release; D018153:Czech Republic; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D004190:Disasters; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D040442:Public Health Informatics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000032:analysis