Unified framework for the ingestion of early epidemic data for downstream data analytics

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health Informatics
• Data Science

Background:

• Early epidemic data is often inconsistent and challenging to integrate across different systems.
• Standardized tools and reporting guidelines are crucial for timely and reliable data collection during outbreaks.
• The Global.health initiative developed a data schema to improve interoperability and analysis of epidemic data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define a 'core data' set within the Global.health schema for focused data collection in the initial 100 days of an epidemic.
• To identify key epidemiological parameters and variables essential for early outbreak response.
• To ensure collected data is relevant, available, and supports timely decision-making.

Main Methods:

• Conducted expert consultations and a structured literature review to identify critical epidemiological parameters for early outbreak assessment.
• Reviewed existing digital toolkits and reporting frameworks to determine minimum data variables for parameter estimation.
• Mapped identified variables to the Global.health schema, assessed their availability in early outbreak data, and harmonized formats with WHO standards.

Main Results:

• Identified 78 key epidemiological parameters, with 42 variables consistently available in early outbreak datasets suitable for the core schema.
• The core schema includes 42 interoperable variables across seven domains, prioritizing demographics, case status, symptoms, and outcomes.
• Found that variables like vaccination history and detailed clinical data were less consistently reported in early phases.

Conclusions:

• Standardized and interoperable data capture in the early epidemic phase is vital for estimating key parameters and informing response strategies.
• The Global.health core schema offers a minimum, evidence-based dataset for early outbreak investigation, compatible with WHO standards.
• This framework enhances data harmonization, analysis, and decision-making during the critical first 100 days of an epidemic by focusing on available, essential variables.