Participatory Surveillance
What we do
Participatory surveillance refers to the practice of individuals voluntarily and actively engaging in the collection, sharing, and analysis of data related to health that can be used for monitoring trends or identifying events. This is commonly facilitated through digital platforms, apps, or online tools. Unlike traditional surveillance that is top-down (e.g., government-led health monitoring), participatory surveillance is driven by the community or individuals. Platforms like Outbreak Near Me (used in the US) or InfluenzaNet (used in Europe) allow individuals to self-report symptoms, contributing to early detection and mapping of disease spread. Participatory surveillance can complement official sentinel-based surveillance for diseases such as influenza, COVID-19 or Respiratory Synctyial Virus by providing information directly from individuals who are experiencing symptoms but are not seeking healthcare. With over 15 years of history, participatory surveillance has proven to be a crucial public health tool that combines technology and people’s active participation.
Community Goal
The goal is to foster world-wide collaboration across teams in various countries that are involved in participatory surveillance initiatives. Several working groups will be created, to discuss participants’ recruitment and collections, scientific activities, technological advancements.
Community Leads
Daniela Paolotti
Daniela.paolotti@isi.it
Vittoria Colizza
vittoria.colizza@inserm.fr
Craig Dalton Craig.Dalton@health.nsw.gov.au
Udo Buchholz
BuchholzU@rki.de
Lisa Hermans
lisa.hermans@uhasselt.be
Albert Jan van Hoek albert.jan.van.hoek@rivm.nl
Becki Green
Becki.Green@ukhsa.gov.uk
Cheryl Cohen
cherylc@nicd.ac.za
Mvuyo Makhasi
mvuyom@nicd.ac.za
Autumn Gertz
autumn.gertz@childrens.harvard.edu
Contact us
Community Updates
Upcoming Events
New Test annoucement 2
In July and August, Collaboratory will be conducting 45-minute interviews with Collaboratory members to better understand their experiences with and preferences for doing collaborative/joint analysis. We would love to hear from you.
New Test annoucement
In July and August, Collaboratory will be conducting 45-minute interviews with Collaboratory members to better understand their experiences with and preferences for doing collaborative/joint analysis. We would love to hear from you.
UR Opportunity: Collaborative Analysis
In July and August, Collaboratory will be conducting 45-minute interviews with Collaboratory members to better understand their experiences with and preferences for doing collaborative/joint analysis. We would love to hear from you.
How to join the Community
The Collaboratory governance structure provides oversight, advice, and accountability to support the work of the Collaboratory, its secretariat, and its members. It ensures consistent implementation of Collaboratory policies and activities and enables internal oversight and accountability inside and outside WHO. This is a common text across all communities……changing it
