title: Use of a web forum and an online questionnaire in the detection and investigation of an outbreak.
abstract: A campylobacteriosis outbreak investigation provides relevant examples of how two web-based technologies were used in an outbreak setting and potential reasons for their usefulness. A web forum aided in outbreak detection and provided contextual insights for hypothesis generation and questionnaire development. An online questionnaire achieved a high response rate and enabled rapid preliminary data analysis that allowed for a targeted environmental investigation. The usefulness of these tools may in part be attributed to the existence of an internet savvy, close-knit community. Given the right population, public health officials should consider web-based technologies, including web fora and online questionnaires as valuable tools in public health investigations.
authors.affiliation: Office of Public Health Practice, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada;
authors.forename: Tammy L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Stuart Chester
authors.forename: Marsha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Jat
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sandhu
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Forsting
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stirling
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Galanis
keywords: communications media; epidemiologic methods; internet; outbreaks; public health