title: Evaluation of Real-Time Mortality Surveillance Based on Media Reports.
abstract: We evaluated the usefulness and accuracy of media-reported data for active disaster-related mortality surveillance.
  
  
  
  From October 29 through November 5, 2012, epidemiologists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracked online media reports for Hurricane Sandy-related deaths by use of a keyword search. To evaluate the media-reported data, vital statistics records of Sandy-related deaths were compared to corresponding media-reported deaths and assessed for percentage match. Sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV), and timeliness of the media reports for detecting Sandy-related deaths were calculated.
  
  
  
  Ninety-nine media-reported deaths were identified and compared with the 90 vital statistics death records sent to the CDC by New York City (NYC) and the 5 states that agreed to participate in this study. Seventy-five (76%) of the media reports matched with vital statistics records. Only NYC was able to actively track Sandy-related deaths during the event. Moderate sensitivity (83%) and PPV (83%) were calculated for the matching media-reported deaths for NYC.
  
  
  
  During Hurricane Sandy, the media-reported information was moderately sensitive, and percentage match with vital statistics records was also moderate. The results indicate that online media-reported deaths can be useful as a supplemental source of information for situational awareness and immediate public health decision-making during the initial response stage of a disaster. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:460-466).
authors.affiliation: 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,Health Studies Branch,Atlanta,Georgia.
authors.forename: Olaniyi O
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1516-5700
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Olayinka
authors.affiliation: 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,Health Studies Branch,Atlanta,Georgia.
authors.forename: Tesfaye M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Bayleyegn
authors.affiliation: 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,Health Studies Branch,Atlanta,Georgia.
authors.forename: Rebecca S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Noe
authors.affiliation: 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,Health Studies Branch,Atlanta,Georgia.
authors.forename: Lauren S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: 2New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, Trenton,New Jersey.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arrisi
authors.affiliation: 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,Health Studies Branch,Atlanta,Georgia.
authors.forename: Amy F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Wolkin
mesh_terms: D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. / Q000458:organization & administration; D055867:Cyclonic Storms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003644:Death Certificates; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008402:Mass Media / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States
keywords: disasters; hurricane; media; public health surveillance