tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Sch Health. 2012 Mar;82(3):123-130. doi: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2011.00675.x.
The Effect of School Dismissal on Rates of Influenza-Like Illness in New York City Schools During the Spring 2009 Novel H1N1 Outbreak.
Egger JR, Konty KJ, Wilson E, Karpati A, Matte T, Weiss D, Barbot O.
Source
Senior Epidemiologist, (jegger@scimetrika.com), SciMetrika, LLC, 100 Capitola Drive, Suite 106, Durham, NC 27713. Statistician, (kkonty@health.nyc.gov), New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Epidemiology Services, Gotham Center, 42-09 28th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101. Research Scientist, (ewilson4@health.nyc.gov), New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Communicable Diseases, Gotham Center, 42-09 28th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101. Executive Deputy Commissioner, Mental Hygiene, (akarpati@health.nyc.gov), New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Communicable Diseases, Gotham Center, 42-09 28th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101. Assistant Commissioner, (tmatte@health.nyc.gov), Bureau of Environmental Surveillance and Policy, New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, 125 Worth Street, New York NY 10013. Director of surveillance, (dweiss@health.nyc.gov), New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Communicable Diseases, Gotham Center, 42-09 28th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101. Health Commissioner, (o.barbot@baltimorecity.gov), Baltimore City Health Department, 1001 E. Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21202. Current address: Medical Director, Office of School Health for the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, 125 Worth Street New York, NY 10013.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
The effects of individual school dismissal on influenza transmission have not been well studied. During the spring 2009 novel H1N1 outbreak, New York City implemented an individual school dismissal policy intended to limit influenza transmission at schools with high rates of influenza-like illness (ILI).
METHODS:
Active disease surveillance data collected by the New York City Health Department on rates of ILI in schools were used to evaluate the impact. Sixty-four schools that met the Health Department's criteria for considering dismissal were included in the analysis. Twenty-four schools that met criteria subsequently dismissed all classes for approximately 1 school week. A regression model was fit to these data, estimating the effect of school dismissal on rates of in-school ILI following reconvening, adjusting for potential confounders.
RESULTS:
The model estimated that, on average, school dismissal reduced the rate of ILI by 7.1% over the entire average outbreak period. However, a large proportion of in-school ILI occurred before dismissal criteria were met. A separate model estimated that school absenteeism rates were not significantly affected by dismissal.
CONCLUSION:
Results suggest that individual school dismissal could be considered in situations where schools have a disproportionate number of high-risk students or may be unable to implement recommended preventive or infection control measures. Future work should focus on developing more sensitive indicators of early outbreak detection in schools and evaluating the impact of school dismissal on community transmission.
? 2012, American School Health Association.
PMID:
22320336
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22320336
The Effect of School Dismissal on Rates of Influenza-Like Illness in New York City Schools During the Spring 2009 Novel H1N1 Outbreak.
Egger JR, Konty KJ, Wilson E, Karpati A, Matte T, Weiss D, Barbot O.
Source
Senior Epidemiologist, (jegger@scimetrika.com), SciMetrika, LLC, 100 Capitola Drive, Suite 106, Durham, NC 27713. Statistician, (kkonty@health.nyc.gov), New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Epidemiology Services, Gotham Center, 42-09 28th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101. Research Scientist, (ewilson4@health.nyc.gov), New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Communicable Diseases, Gotham Center, 42-09 28th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101. Executive Deputy Commissioner, Mental Hygiene, (akarpati@health.nyc.gov), New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Communicable Diseases, Gotham Center, 42-09 28th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101. Assistant Commissioner, (tmatte@health.nyc.gov), Bureau of Environmental Surveillance and Policy, New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, 125 Worth Street, New York NY 10013. Director of surveillance, (dweiss@health.nyc.gov), New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Communicable Diseases, Gotham Center, 42-09 28th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101. Health Commissioner, (o.barbot@baltimorecity.gov), Baltimore City Health Department, 1001 E. Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21202. Current address: Medical Director, Office of School Health for the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, 125 Worth Street New York, NY 10013.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
The effects of individual school dismissal on influenza transmission have not been well studied. During the spring 2009 novel H1N1 outbreak, New York City implemented an individual school dismissal policy intended to limit influenza transmission at schools with high rates of influenza-like illness (ILI).
METHODS:
Active disease surveillance data collected by the New York City Health Department on rates of ILI in schools were used to evaluate the impact. Sixty-four schools that met the Health Department's criteria for considering dismissal were included in the analysis. Twenty-four schools that met criteria subsequently dismissed all classes for approximately 1 school week. A regression model was fit to these data, estimating the effect of school dismissal on rates of in-school ILI following reconvening, adjusting for potential confounders.
RESULTS:
The model estimated that, on average, school dismissal reduced the rate of ILI by 7.1% over the entire average outbreak period. However, a large proportion of in-school ILI occurred before dismissal criteria were met. A separate model estimated that school absenteeism rates were not significantly affected by dismissal.
CONCLUSION:
Results suggest that individual school dismissal could be considered in situations where schools have a disproportionate number of high-risk students or may be unable to implement recommended preventive or infection control measures. Future work should focus on developing more sensitive indicators of early outbreak detection in schools and evaluating the impact of school dismissal on community transmission.
? 2012, American School Health Association.
PMID:
22320336
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22320336