Evaluation of Kindergarten Through Grade 12 All-Cause Absenteeism Data as an Indicator and Predictor of Respiratory Disease, 2018-2022

Correlations and PPVs between all-cause school absenteeism and respiratory disease were variable, often <0.5. School and public health officials may find absenteeism an inconsistent predictor of community-level respiratory diseases, limiting its utility for syndromic surveillance. Standardizing absence definitions and improving reporting timeliness may enhance its effectiveness.