Google Flu Tracker shows where flu is spreading

Under the surveillance systems used by federal health officials, it can take two weeks or longer to confirm that influenza has spread to a particular state or region of the country. Now, however, Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, has demonstrated it can track flu cases faster by analyzing the use of common search terms, such as "flu" and "flu-like" and "flu vaccine," to estimate flu activity.

Google Flu Trends surveillance tool was launched today and shows little activity in the nation so far. The tool compares data from this season to data collected during the 2007-2008 flu activity. Last year's data was compared to statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to verify that the Google flu tracker is accurate. While not everyone who searches flu terms on the Internet has the flu, a pattern emerges when all flu-related search queries from each state and region are added together.

"This could conceivably provide as early a warning of an outbreak as any system," Lyn Finelli of the CDC's influenza division told The New York Times. "The earlier the warning, the earlier prevention and control measures can be put in place, and this could prevent cases of influenza."

— Shari Roan

Photo credit: Peter Adams/For the Times

Young adults seek healthcare advice from Dr. Web

During my years as a health reporter, I have often spoken to physicians who are frustrated when patients disagree with the doctor's advice because of something they have read on the Internet.

Doctors should brace themselves for more challenges from patients who have already consulted Dr. Web. A survey by the healthcare marketing and communications company Envision Solutions LLC shows that more than one-third of adults have doubted a medical professional's opinion or diagnosis because it conflicts with information they have found online. The survey was conducted online and involved 1,000 adults ages 18 and older. The findings include:

• Among those ages 18 to 34, 43% said they doubted their health provider's advice when it conflicted with online sources.
• Latinos are least likely to rely on traditional authority figures. Only 34% said they would consult their primary health providers first if they were diagnosed with a medical condition compared with 62% of whites and 61% of African-Americans.
• Very few Americans trust institutions such as government, the media and nonprofits as highly credible health sources.

That last finding confounds me, I must admit. In defense of the media, we bend over backward to provide accurate, balanced information. And we often turn to government sources as unbiased providers of facts and statistics and to nonprofits to provide a point of view that represents patients.

But, as the survey points out, the majority of Americans still trust their healthcare providers the most. After all, they did go to med school. You can access the report at Envision Solutions.

-- Shari Roan