Evaluating a Social Network Analytic Tool to Support Outbreak Management and Contact Tracing in an Outbreak of Pertussis

Abstract

Pertussis (i.e., whooping cough) is on the rise in the US. To implement effective prevention and treatment strategies, it is critical to conduct timely contact tracing and evaluate people who may have been exposed to pertussis. We describe a collaborative effort between epidemiologists and public health informaticists at the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) to determine the feasibility and value of a network-analytic approach to pertussis outbreak management and contact tracing.