Description
Flag the supplied temporal order of exposure and onset.
Epidemiological reporting depends on case-definition versions, observation windows, censoring, person/test denominators and time-bin boundaries. Missing and indeterminate results differ, while multiple tests can belong to one person. Local record arithmetic does not diagnose infection, establish transmission or select a public-health rule.
Flag the supplied temporal order of exposure and onset.
When to use this tool
Use Exposure Onset Order Flag when checking the stated benign surveillance record, time, exposure or denominator convention.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter exposureTime, onsetTime. Use the units and conventions below.
- Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
- Read exposurePrecedesOnset, simultaneous, signedLag. Inspect exposurePrecedesOnset, simultaneous before interpreting the associated values.
Return exposureTime<onsetTime, exposureTime==onsetTime and onset-exposure signed lag separately.1
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| exposureTime | Exposure Time | Required. Finite number. |
| onsetTime | Onset Time | Required. Finite number. |
| Output field | Interpretation | Returned shape |
|---|---|---|
| exposurePrecedesOnset | Exposure Precedes Onset | Required. Boolean. |
| simultaneous | Simultaneous | Required. Boolean. |
| signedLag | Signed Lag | Required. Finite number. |
{
"input": {
"exposureTime": 10,
"onsetTime": 15
},
"output": {
"exposurePrecedesOnset": true,
"simultaneous": false,
"signedLag": 5
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- Temporal precedence alone does not establish transmission, a causal exposure or a clinically appropriate incubation period.
- Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
- Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Use verified source records, current authoritative definitions and appropriate complete epidemiological/statistical methods with qualified public-health interpretation for actual decisions.
References
Similar or alternative tools
- Exposure Window Overlap Single Event
Check a single event against an exposure window with an explicit end-inclusion rule.
- Recurrent Episode Washout Gap
Compare a recurrent-episode gap with a caller-supplied washout interval.