Evaluating the utility of school absenteeism during the 2009–2010 influenza season in Los Angeles County

It has been postulated that school absenteeism, a non-traditional surveillance data source, may allow for early detection of disease outbreaks, particularly among school-aged children who may not seek emergency medical attention. Although a New York City-based study showed moderate utility of school absenteeism in biosurveillance, no study to date has been reported on school absenteeism in Los Angeles County, which contains the second largest school district in the US.

Objective

To evaluate the utility of school absenteeism surveillance data in Los Angeles County during the 2009–2010 influenza season.