Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet)
Author Information
Author(s): Samantha Yang, Heidi Kassenborg, Duc Vugia, Thomas Hennessy, Ian Fisher, Carol Hardegree
Primary Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hypothesis
How can we better monitor and prevent foodborne diseases in the U.S.?
Conclusion
FoodNet provides valuable data on the incidence of foodborne illnesses and helps evaluate food safety initiatives.
Supporting Evidence
- FoodNet was established to monitor foodborne illness incidence in the U.S.
- The population of FoodNet sites in 1997 was 20.3 million.
- 11% of surveyed individuals reported acute diarrhea in the past month.
- 44% of physicians surveyed requested stool cultures for acute diarrhea cases.
Takeaway
FoodNet helps track how often people get sick from food and what foods might be causing it, so we can make food safer.
Methodology
FoodNet conducted a population survey, physician survey, and a case-control study to gather data on foodborne illnesses.
Potential Biases
Variability in physician practices and regional differences may introduce bias in the data.
Limitations
The study is limited to specific geographic areas and may not represent the entire U.S. population.
Participant Demographics
Participants included individuals from selected counties in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Minnesota, and Oregon.
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