The Open Infectious Diseases Journal
2018, 10 : 29-36Published online 2018 May 14. DOI: 10.2174/1874279301810010029
Publisher ID: TOIDJ-10-29
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Improvement of Influenza Incidence Estimation Using Auxiliary Information in Sentinel Surveillance in Japan
* Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Hygiene, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, 1-98, Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan; Tel: +81-562-93-2456; Fax: +81-562-93-2456, E-mail: hasimoto@fujita-hu.ac.jp
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Sentinel surveillance in Japan is used to estimate national influenza incidence under the assumption that Sentinel Medical Institutions (SMIs) are randomly selected. The current method might lead to overestimation when SMIs are recruited on a voluntary basis.
Aims & Objectives:
We aimed to improve influenza incidence estimation using auxiliary information without this assumption.
Materials and Method:
We used reports of influenza from SMIs in 2015, together with the number of all disease outpatients in September 2014 at all medical institutions from the Survey of Medical Institutions of Japan, as auxiliary information. The influenza incidence was estimated by the method using auxiliary information and the current method (without auxiliary information).
Result and Conclusion:
Influenza incidence rate per 1,000 population in 2015 estimated by using auxiliary information and by the current method was 63.7 (95% Confidence Interval (CI), 61.0-66.3) and 96.5 (95% CI, 93.0-100.0), respectively. The ratio of these estimates was 0.66. Our findings suggest that influenza incidence estimated by using the number of all disease outpatients as auxiliary information is more accurate than estimates by the current method.