Interview Questions for Olivier Telle, Research Scientist at the French National Centre for Scientific Research on Facebook's Data for Good Initiative
In an effort to combat the spread of infectious diseases, a team of researchers led by urban health geographer Olivier Telle from the French National Centre for Scientific Research, has turned to data from Facebook's Data for Good program. The team's work aims to shed light on the role of collective mobility in disease diffusion, both within and between cities.
The research focuses on the use of Facebook datasets called origin-destination matrices, which provide anonymized mobility data on trips longer than 6.2 km at the city and suburb level, aggregated over thousands of individuals. This data is validated against traditional data sources to understand the relationship between Facebook users and the demographics of a particular area.
The study reveals a striking parallel with the 1832 cholera outbreak in Paris, as dengue systematically emerges from the poorest and most deprived areas. However, the research conducted by Telle's team in India showed that the disease is not always more prevalent in the most deprived areas. In many regions in Delhi, the lack of proper access to clean water creates a suitable source for mosquitoes to breed and enables the virus to survive, but the disease is sometimes even more common in richer regions.
The main challenge for every country that faces the risk of infectious diseases is to make these diseases more visible by better integrating an essential component of the infectious risk: Collective mobility. Cities with larger populations and increased urbanization and human mobility pose a greater risk for diseases to spread.
The research also aims to define if the lockdown has impacted the pandemic curve and the spatial diffusion of COVID-19. The team has studied cities including Dakar, Burkina Faso, and other locations in West Africa to better understand and combat the spread of infectious diseases.
The vulnerability to impact from disease, be it economic or health, disproportionately affects the poor, and this factor is considered in the geographical models used to understand public health problems. Reported cases of dengue have increased more than eight-fold in the last 20 years, highlighting the urgent need for effective disease management strategies.
Policymakers can use insights from the research to better coordinate disease management at a higher level, ensuring interventions are efficiently deployed. The work also aims to understand how socio-spatial dynamics of cities impact epidemic diffusion, using examples like dengue and COVID-19. By understanding the role of mobility in disease diffusion, the team hopes to provide valuable insights that can help in the development of more effective public health strategies.
