Monitoring OTC drug sales for early detection of respiratory infectious disease outbreaks.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In recent years, over-the-counter (OTC) drug sales have emerged as a novel indicator for symptom monitoring, attracting widespread attention in public health research globally. This study conducted weekly monitoring of five OTC drug categories related to fever respiratory system diagnostic cluster (FRSDC) - antitussive/expectorant drugs, cold medications, antibiotics, pungent and cool exterior-relieving agents, and influenza medicine - in Pinghu City, Zhejiang Province, from 2022 to 2024. Concurrently, weekly FRSDC cases from Pinghu First People's Hospital were collected.

Methods

Spearman correlation analysis was used to quantify associations between OTC sales and FRSDC cases, while decision tree models evaluated the reliability of OTC data for early prediction of

SUBMITTER: Li J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12741107 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature