The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 in Sri Lanka: its demographic cost, timing, and propagation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

As an island and a former British colony, Sri Lanka is a case of special interest for the study of 1918-1919 influenza pandemic because of its potential for isolation from as well as integration into the world epidemiologic system.

Objectives

To estimate population loss attributable to the influenza pandemic and weekly district-level excess mortality from the pandemic to analyze its spread across the island.

Methods

To measure population loss, we estimated a population growth model using a panel of 100 district-level observations on population for five consecutive censuses from 1891 to 1931, allowing for a one-time drop in population in 1918-1919. To estimate weekly excess mortality from the pandemic, we estimated a seasonally adjusted weekly time series of

SUBMITTER: Chandra S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4181474 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature