App helps track flu

Name: App helps track flu
Uploaded: 2015-09-04T21:36:33.000Z
Duration: 1 min 47 s
Description: For years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that people stay home and isolate themselves when they get the flu to keep it from spreading. But there was never a study to back up that advice - until now.

For years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that people stay home and isolate themselves when they get the flu to keep it from spreading. But there was never a study to back up that advice - until now.

Posted 9/4/2015, 9:36:33 PM Updated 9/23/2025, 7:50:55 PM

>>> FOR YEARS, THE CDC

RECOMMENDED YOUR STAY HOME AND

ISOLATE YOURSELF IF YOU GET THE

FLU.

IF THERE WAS NEVER AN ACTUAL

STUDY TO BACK IT UP.

HOWEVER, NOW, CAROLINA

INTRODUCES US TO TWO TRIANGLE

RESEARCHERS WHO USED CELL PHONE

TECHNOLOGY TO HELP IMPROVE THE

MEDICAL .

>> WHEN THE FLU HITS IT CAN

SPREAD QUICKLY ESPECIALLY ON

COLLEGE CAMPUSES WHERE STUDENTS

STUDY TOGETHER AND LIVE IN CLOSE

QUARTERS.

UNC ALLISON AIELLO AND CATHERINE

HELLER TEAMED UP TO SEE HOW IT

SPREADS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS.

>> IT PROVIDES DATA IN A MUCH

MORE OBJECTIVE WAY.

>> IN THE PAST, RESEARCHERS

RELIED ON SURVEYED, PARTICIPATES

HAD-TO THINK ABOUT TO ANSWER

QUESTIONS.

THEY DEVELOPED AN APP FOR 100

STUDENTS TO CARRY ON THEIR

PHONES DURING THE 2013 FLU

SEASON.

IT TRACKED WHEN STUDENTS CAME IN

CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER MOMENT

BY MOMENT.

>> WE ALSO HAD THE APP POP UP A

LITTLE SURVEY WHEN THEY CAME IN

CONTACT WITH ONE OF THEIR

FRIENDS TO ASK THEM MORE ABOUT

THE CONTEXT IN WHICH THEY WERE

INTERACTING.

>>Reporter: NOT SURPRISINGLY,

THEY FOUND IF A STUDENT WAS

SICK, THE FRIENDS WERE MORE

LIKELY TO GET SICK TOO BUT THEY

HAD MORE DETAILS ABOUT WHY.

LIKE THOSE THAT DRANK AND SMOKE

TOOK LONGER TO RECOVER.

AIELLO AND HELLER SAY CELL PHONE

TECHNOLOGY ALLOWED THEM TO

RECEIVE PERSONALIZED DATA ON A

SMALLER TIME SCALE.

IT WILL SPEED UP OUR

UNDERSTANDING AND TREATMENT OF

ILLNESSES.

>> OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ALMOST

EVERY DISEASE WILL BE HELPED BY

OUR ABILITY TO COLLECT MORE

INFORMATION ON IT OR ON A

SHORTER TIME SCALE.

TARA LYNN, WRAL NEWS, CHAPEL

HILL.

>>> THIS APP IS ONLY AVAILABLE

FOR RESEARCH.

DUKE HOSPITAL IS LOOKING AT WAYS

TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY TO STUDY