title: Using real-time syndromic surveillance systems to help explore the acute impact of the air pollution incident of March/April 2014 in England.
abstract: During March and early April 2014 there was widespread poor air quality across the United Kingdom. Public Health England used existing syndromic surveillance systems to monitor community health during the period. Short lived statistically significant rises in a variety of respiratory conditions, including asthma and wheeze, were detected. This incident has demonstrated the value of real-time syndromic surveillance systems, during an air pollution episode, for helping to explore the impact of poor air quality on community health in real-time.
authors.affiliation: Real-time Syndromic Surveillance Team, Public Health England, UK. Electronic address: gillian.smith@phe.gov.uk.
authors.forename: Gillian E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Real-time Syndromic Surveillance Team, Public Health England, UK.
authors.forename: Zharain
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bawa
authors.affiliation: Centre for Radiation Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, UK.
authors.forename: Yolande
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Macklin
authors.affiliation: Real-time Syndromic Surveillance Team, Public Health England, UK.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Morbey
authors.affiliation: Centre for Radiation Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, UK.
authors.forename: Alec
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dobney
authors.affiliation: Centre for Radiation Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, UK.
authors.forename: Sotiris
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vardoulakis
authors.affiliation: Real-time Syndromic Surveillance Team, Public Health England, UK.
authors.forename: Alex J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Elliot
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance
keywords: Air quality; Asthma; Public health; Syndromic surveillance; Wheeze