School Absenteeism Surveillance Report

Participation and Results

Goals

The DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) Daily Influenza-like Illness (ILI) Absenteeism Reporting System was developed in 2009 as part of county-wide enhanced surveillance for influenza. It expanded the previously established, weekly absenteeism reporting that had been conducted for several years to include symptom-specific absenteeism in students and staff that could be reported directly to the health department in real-time using a web-based interface.

• Situational awareness

• Timely reporting

• Outbreak investigation and response

• Geographic distribution

• Monitoring influenza activity

• Control response

• Decision support

• Evaluate interventions

• Schools can generate their own reports

It is very easy to enter data.”

Testimonial from a School Nurse/Daily User

Benefits Big Picture

• Keep students and staff healthy.

DCHD analyzes ILI information from the schools, in conjunction with information from other sources, to understand the ILI situation throughout DuPage County as a whole. Health department staff also monitor systems with chief complaint data from emergency departments at local hospitals, over-the-counter medication sales data from local retail pharmacies, ILI information from sentinel outpatient providers, and case information for influenza intensive care unit hospitalizations, deaths in children <18 years of age due to influenza, and patients infected with novel influenza strains. This information is summarized in DCHD’s influenza report, which is published weekly every October until the following May.

I like using an online system for reporting my data.”

and...

I like having access to public health information from DCHD using the web portal.”

81% of surveyed users agree... The Absenteeism System

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DCHD would like to thank the schools and districts that utilize the daily absenteeism reporting system for your cooperation in providing us with your data. Schools that have yet to register with the system are encouraged to do so, and can contact DCHD staff with any questions or concerns.

If You Report:

County-level Report [Type text] March 8, 2012

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Daily Percent of School Absences in DuPage County,8/31/2009-5/28/2010

Total Absent Absent due to influenza-like illness

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Daily Percent of School Absences in DuPage County,August 31-February 1 (2009-2012)

ILI Absenteeism 2009-2010 ILI Absenteeism 2010-2011 ILI Absenteeism 2011-2012

County-level Report [Type text] March 8, 2012

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Daily Percent of School Absences in DuPage County,8/31/2009-5/28/2010

Total Absent Absent due to influenza-like illness

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Daily Percent of School Absences in DuPage County,August 31-February 1 (2009-2012)

ILI Absenteeism 2009-2010 ILI Absenteeism 2010-2011 ILI Absenteeism 2011-2012

• Keep schools open and operational.

During the summer of 2011, DCHD partnered with a web developer to improve the absenteeism system. Users are now able to update their own account information, including their password. They can also alter and resubmit entries for previous school days, if necessary. An extensive User’s Manual has also been added to the site to explain these and other features.

Improvements

Additional ResourcesTo Register:

• Users log on to the system to enter and update daily absenteeism information.

• At least once a day, DCHD staff review the data for any trends that may indicate unusual levels of illness.

• If irregularities are identified, DCHD staff contact the school to gather additional information to assess the situation and offer assistance as needed.

• School and district staff members and administrators can also create reports in the system that summarize the absenteeism trends in students or staff for total and ILI-specific absenteeism.

How It Works

Visithttp://connect.dupagehealth.org and click “Register” to begin reporting.

Call the Communicable Disease and Epidemiology program with any questions at (630) 221-7553.

111 N County Farm Rd. • Wheaton, Illinois 60187(630) 682-7400 • www.dupagehealth.org

Our weekly influenza report is located at www.dupagehealth.org/dataIllinois Department of Public Health Seasonal Influenza Surveillance reports are located atwww.idph.state.il.us/flu/surveillance.htmU.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Seasonal Influenza Surveillance reports are located at www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/fluactivitysurv.htm

3-19-2012