When an infectious disease outbreak strikes, one of public health’s first jobs is tracking where it spread and who may have been exposed. That’s where contact tracing comes in.
The process involves interviewing people diagnosed with an infectious disease, identifying those who may have been exposed and notifying them so they can monitor for symptoms or seek testing or treatment. It requires careful interviewing, clear communication and the ability to build trust while documenting information accurately. Equal parts detective work and relationship building, contact tracing can require hundreds of phone calls in a matter of days.
By identifying potential exposures early, contact tracers help health officials interrupt chains of transmission, contain outbreaks and protect people who may not know they’ve been exposed, said Shilo McBurney, an assistant professor of epidemiology in Brown University’s School of Public Health.
“It's a labor-intensive process, and what’s ultimately needed is people power,” McBurney added. “It takes a lot of people calling a lot of people and being diligent about it.”
In Rhode Island, no one is hoping for an infectious disease outbreak. But if one comes, a group of Brown University public health students now stands ready to help.
Led by McBurney, who is also the epidemiology concentration lead for Brown’s Master of Public Health degree program, the effort brings together nine School of Public Health students who have completed contact tracing training and are prepared to assist the infectious disease division of the Rhode Island Department of Health if a public health emergency creates the need for additional staff.
“If there’s an environmental outbreak, if there's a foodborne illness outbreak, if there’s anything that the Rhode Island Department of Health needs all hands-on deck with, the students can help with that,” McBurney said.