Travel patterns in ChinaArchived
Travel patterns are an important source of information to be considered when assessing the risk of spread of infectious disease outbreaks. However, local and regional particularities need to be taken into account.
Garske T, Yu H, Peng Z, Ye M, Zhou H, Cheng X, Wu J, Ferguson N. PLoS ONE 6(2)
Description
This population survey was carried out in China in 2007, looking at travel patterns and how these can relate to the spread of infectious diseases. The survey examined the travel patterns of 20,000 randomly selected individuals from Anhui province with a predominantly rural population, and Guangdong province with a predominantly urban population and a substantial proportion of migrant workers. Various mathematical models and population predictors were used to analyse the data and predict possible travels and disease spread. Overall, the data showed very different travel patterns in these 2 provinces, which would need to be considered when predicting disease spread.
Public Health significance
Travel patterns are an important source of information to be considered when assessing the risk of spread of infectious disease outbreaks. However, local and regional particularities need to be taken into account. Link to the article: "Travel Patterns in China"