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Maaß L, Angoumis K, Freye M, Pan CC. Mapping Digital Public Health Interventions Among Existing Digital Technologies and Internet-Based Interventions to Maintain and Improve Population Health in Practice: Scoping Review. J Med Internet Res 2024; 26:e53927. [PMID: 39018096 PMCID: PMC11292160 DOI: 10.2196/53927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The rapid progression and integration of digital technologies into public health have reshaped the global landscape of health care delivery and disease prevention. In pursuit of better population health and health care accessibility, many countries have integrated digital interventions into their health care systems, such as web-based consultations, electronic health records, and telemedicine. Despite the increasing prevalence and relevance of digital technologies in public health and their varying definitions, there has been a shortage of studies examining whether these technologies align with the established definition and core characteristics of digital public health (DiPH) interventions. Hence, the imperative need for a scoping review emerges to explore the breadth of literature dedicated to this subject. OBJECTIVE This scoping review aims to outline DiPH interventions from different implementation stages for health promotion, primary to tertiary prevention, including health care and disease surveillance and monitoring. In addition, we aim to map the reported intervention characteristics, including their technical features and nontechnical elements. METHODS Original studies or reports of DiPH intervention focused on population health were eligible for this review. PubMed, Web of Science, CENTRAL, IEEE Xplore, and the ACM Full-Text Collection were searched for relevant literature (last updated on October 5, 2022). Intervention characteristics of each identified DiPH intervention, such as target groups, level of prevention or health care, digital health functions, intervention types, and public health functions, were extracted and used to map DiPH interventions. MAXQDA 2022.7 (VERBI GmbH) was used for qualitative data analysis of such interventions' technical functions and nontechnical characteristics. RESULTS In total, we identified and screened 15,701 records, of which 1562 (9.94%) full texts were considered relevant and were assessed for eligibility. Finally, we included 185 (11.84%) publications, which reported 179 different DiPH interventions. Our analysis revealed a diverse landscape of interventions, with telemedical services, health apps, and electronic health records as dominant types. These interventions targeted a wide range of populations and settings, demonstrating their adaptability. The analysis highlighted the multifaceted nature of digital interventions, necessitating precise definitions and standardized terminologies for effective collaboration and evaluation. CONCLUSIONS Although this scoping review was able to map characteristics and technical functions among 13 intervention types in DiPH, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence might have been underrepresented in our study. This review underscores the diversity of DiPH interventions among and within intervention groups. Moreover, it highlights the importance of precise terminology for effective planning and evaluation. This review promotes cross-disciplinary collaboration by emphasizing the need for clear definitions, distinct technological functions, and well-defined use cases. It lays the foundation for international benchmarks and comparability within DiPH systems. Further research is needed to map intervention characteristics in this still-evolving field continuously. TRIAL REGISTRATION PROSPERO CRD42021265562; https://tinyurl.com/43jksb3k. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) RR2-10.2196/33404.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Maaß
- University of Bremen, SOCIUM Research Center on Inequality and Social Policy, Bremen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Digital Public Health Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Digital Health Section, European Public Health Association - EUPHA, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Konstantinos Angoumis
- University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS, Bremen, Germany
| | - Merle Freye
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Digital Public Health Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- University of Bremen, Institute for Information, Health and Medical Law - IGMR, Bremen, Germany
| | - Chen-Chia Pan
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Digital Public Health Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS, Bremen, Germany
- University of Bremen, Institute for Public Health and Nursing Research - IPP, Bremen, Germany
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Woelk G, Maphosa T, Machekano R, Chauma-Mwale A, Makonokaya L, Zimba SB, Chamanga RK, Nyirenda R, Auld A, Kim E, Sampathkumar V, Ahimbisibwe A, Kalitera L, Kim L, Maida A. Enhancing SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in Malawi using telephone syndromic surveillance from July 2020 to April 2022. BMJ Glob Health 2024; 9:e014941. [PMID: 38754899 PMCID: PMC11097830 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Monitoring the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in low-resource countries such as Malawi requires cost-effective surveillance strategies. This study explored the potential utility of phone-based syndromic surveillance in terms of its reach, monitoring trends in reported SARS-CoV-2-like/influenza-like symptoms (CLS/ILS), SARS-CoV-2 testing and mortality. METHODS Mobile phone-based interviews were conducted between 1 July 2020 and 30 April 2022, using a structured questionnaire. Randomly digital dialled numbers were used to reach individuals aged ≥18 years who spoke Chichewa or English. Verbal consent was obtained, and trained research assistants with clinical and nursing backgrounds collected information on age, sex, region of residence, reported CLS/ILS in the preceding 2 weeks, SARS-CoV-2 testing and history of household illness and death. Data were captured on tablets using the Open Data Kit database. We performed a descriptive analysis and presented the frequencies and proportions with graphical representations over time. FINDINGS Among 356 525 active phone numbers, 138 751 (38.9%) answered calls, of which 104 360 (75.2%) were eligible, 101 617 (97.4%) consented to participate, and 100 160 (98.6%) completed the interview. Most survey respondents were aged 25-54 years (72.7%) and male (65.1%). The regional distribution of the respondents mirrored the regional population distribution, with 45% (44%) in the southern region, 41% (43%) in the central region and 14% (13%) in the northern region. The reported SARS-CoV2 positivity rate was 11.5% (107/934). Of the 7298 patients who reported CLS/ILS, 934 (12.8%) reported having undergone COVID-19 testing. Of the reported household deaths, 47.2% (982 individuals) experienced CLS/ILS 2 weeks before their death. CONCLUSION Telephonic surveillance indicated that the number of SARS-CoV-2 cases was at least twice as high as the number of confirmed cases in Malawi. Our findings also suggest a substantial under-reporting of SARS-CoV-2-related deaths. Telephonic surveillance has proven feasible in Malawi, achieving the ability to characterise SARS-CoV-2 morbidity and mortality trends in low-resource settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Godfrey Woelk
- Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Thulani Maphosa
- Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Rhoderick Machekano
- Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | | | | | - Suzgo B Zimba
- Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | | | - Rose Nyirenda
- Ministry of Health Department of HIV and AIDS, Lilongwe, Central Region, Malawi
| | - Andrew Auld
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Global HIV and TB, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Evelyn Kim
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Global HIV and TB, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | | | | | | | - Lindsay Kim
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Global HIV and TB, Lilongwe, Malawi
- US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Alice Maida
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Global HIV and TB, Lilongwe, Malawi
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Qin YF, Ren SH, Shao B, Qin H, Wang HD, Li GM, Zhu YL, Sun CL, Li C, Zhang JY, Wang H. The intellectual base and research fronts of IL-37: A bibliometric review of the literature from WoSCC. Front Immunol 2022; 13:931783. [PMID: 35935954 PMCID: PMC9354626 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.931783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background IL-37 is a recently identified cytokine with potent immunosuppressive functions. The research fronts of IL-37 are worth investigating, and there is no bibliometric analysis in this field. The purpose of this study is to construct the intellectual base and predict research hotspots of IL-37 research both quantitatively and qualitatively according to bibliometric analysis. Methods The articles were downloaded from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database from the inception of the database to 1 April 2022. CiteSpace 5.8.R3 (64-bit, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA) and Online Analysis Platform of Literature Metrology (https://bibliometric.com/) were used to perform bibliometric and knowledge-map analyses. Results A total of 534 papers were included in 200 academic journals by 2,783 authors in 279 institutions from 50 countries/regions. The journal Cytokine published the most papers on IL-37, while Nature Immunology was the most co-cited journal. The publications belonged mainly to two categories of Immunology and Cell Biology. USA and China were the most productive countries. Meanwhile, the University of Colorado Denver in USA produced the highest number of publications followed by Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands and Monash University in Australia. Charles A. Dinarello published the most papers, while Marcel F. Nold had the most co-citations. Top 10 co-citations on reviews, mechanisms, and diseases were regarded as the knowledge base. The keyword co-occurrence and co-citations of references revealed that the mechanisms and immune-related disorders were the main aspects of IL-37 research. Notably, the involvement of IL-37 in various disorders and the additional immunomodulatory mechanisms were two emerging hotspots in IL-37 research. Conclusions The research on IL-37 was thoroughly reviewed using bibliometrics and knowledge-map analyses. The present study is a benefit for academics to master the dynamic evolution of IL-37 and point out the direction for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-fei Qin
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Shao-hua Ren
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Bo Shao
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Hong Qin
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Hong-da Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Guang-ming Li
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yang-lin Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Cheng-lu Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Chuan Li
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jing-yi Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- *Correspondence: Hao Wang, ;
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Matthews RJ, Kaluthotage I, Russell TL, Knox TB, Horwood PF, Craig AT. Arboviral Disease Outbreaks in the Pacific Islands Countries and Areas, 2014 to 2020: A Systematic Literature and Document Review. Pathogens 2022; 11:74. [PMID: 35056022 PMCID: PMC8779081 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11010074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Arthropod-borne diseases pose a significant public health threat, accounting for greater than 17% of infectious disease cases and 1 million deaths annually. Across Pacific Island countries and areas (PICs), outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika are increasing in frequency and scale. Data about arbovirus outbreaks are incomplete, with reports sporadic, delayed, and often based solely on syndromic surveillance. We undertook a systematic review of published and grey literature and contacted relevant regional authorities to collect information about arboviral activity affecting PICs between October 2014 and June 2020. Our literature search identified 1176 unique peer-reviewed articles that were reduced to 25 relevant publications when screened. Our grey literature search identified 873 sources. Collectively, these data reported 104 unique outbreaks, including 72 dengue outbreaks affecting 19 (out of 22) PICs, 14 chikungunya outbreaks affecting 11 PICs, and 18 Zika outbreaks affecting 14 PICs. Our review is the most complete account of arboviral outbreaks to affect PICs since comparable work was published in 2014. It highlights the continued elevated level of arboviral activity across the Pacific and inconsistencies in how information about outbreaks is reported and recorded. It demonstrates the importance of a One-Health approach and the role that improved communication and reporting between different governments and sectors play in understanding the emergence, circulation, and transboundary risks posed by arboviral diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosie J. Matthews
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, QID 4870, Australia
| | - Ishani Kaluthotage
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QID 4870, Australia; (I.K.); (T.L.R.)
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, QID 4870, Australia
| | - Tanya L. Russell
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QID 4870, Australia; (I.K.); (T.L.R.)
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, QID 4870, Australia
| | - Tessa B. Knox
- Vanuatu Country Liaison Office, World Health Organization, Port Vila, Vanuatu;
| | - Paul F. Horwood
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QID 4811, Australia;
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QID 4811, Australia
| | - Adam T. Craig
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 1466, Australia
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Lee J, Lynch CA, Hashiguchi LO, Snow RW, Herz ND, Webster J, Parkhurst J, Erondu NA. Interventions to improve district-level routine health data in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 6:e004223. [PMID: 34117009 PMCID: PMC8202107 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Routine health information system(s) (RHIS) facilitate the collection of health data at all levels of the health system allowing estimates of disease prevalence, treatment and preventive intervention coverage, and risk factors to guide disease control strategies. This core health system pillar remains underdeveloped in many low-income and middle-income countries. Efforts to improve RHIS data coverage, quality and timeliness were launched over 10 years ago. METHODS A systematic review was performed across 12 databases and literature search engines for both peer-reviewed articles and grey literature reports on RHIS interventions. Studies were analysed in three stages: (1) categorisation of RHIS intervention components and processes; (2) comparison of intervention component effectiveness and (3) whether the post-intervention outcome improved above the WHO integrated disease surveillance response framework data quality standard of 80% or above. RESULTS 5294 references were screened, resulting in 56 studies. Three key performance determinants-technical, organisational and behavioural-were proposed as critical to RHIS strengthening. Seventy-seven per cent [77%] of studies identified addressed all three determinants. The most frequently implemented intervention components were 'providing training' and 'using an electronic health management information systems'. Ninety-three per cent [93%] of pre-post or controlled trial studies showed improvements in one or more data quality outputs, but after applying a standard threshold of >80% post-intervention, this number reduced to 68%. There was an observed benefit of multi-component interventions that either conducted data quality training or that addressed improvement across multiple processes and determinants of RHIS. CONCLUSION Holistic data quality interventions that address multiple determinants should be continuously practised for strengthening RHIS. Studies with clearly defined and pragmatic outcomes are required for future RHIS improvement interventions. These should be accompanied by qualitative studies and cost analyses to understand which investments are needed to sustain high-quality RHIS in low-income and middle-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieun Lee
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Policy and Programmes Division, World Vision UK, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Caroline A Lynch
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Lauren Oliveira Hashiguchi
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Robert W Snow
- Population and Health Unit, KEMRI - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Naomi D Herz
- Medical and Healthcare Innovation, British Heart Foundation, London, UK
| | - Jayne Webster
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Justin Parkhurst
- Department of Health Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
| | - Ngozi A Erondu
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Centre for Universal Health, Global Health Programme, Chatham House, London, UK
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Li L, Novillo-Ortiz D, Azzopardi-Muscat N, Kostkova P. Digital Data Sources and Their Impact on People's Health: A Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews. Front Public Health 2021; 9:645260. [PMID: 34026711 PMCID: PMC8131671 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.645260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Digital data sources have become ubiquitous in modern culture in the era of digital technology but often tend to be under-researched because of restricted access to data sources due to fragmentation, privacy issues, or industry ownership, and the methodological complexity of demonstrating their measurable impact on human health. Even though new big data sources have shown unprecedented potential for disease diagnosis and outbreak detection, we need to investigate results in the existing literature to gain a comprehensive understanding of their impact on and benefits to human health. Objective: A systematic review of systematic reviews on identifying digital data sources and their impact area on people's health, including challenges, opportunities, and good practices. Methods: A multidatabase search was performed. Peer-reviewed papers published between January 2010 and November 2020 relevant to digital data sources on health were extracted, assessed, and reviewed. Results: The 64 reviews are covered by three domains, that is, universal health coverage (UHC), public health emergencies, and healthier populations, defined in WHO's General Programme of Work, 2019-2023, and the European Programme of Work, 2020-2025. In all three categories, social media platforms are the most popular digital data source, accounting for 47% (N = 8), 84% (N = 11), and 76% (N = 26) of studies, respectively. The second most utilized data source are electronic health records (EHRs) (N = 13), followed by websites (N = 7) and mass media (N = 5). In all three categories, the most studied impact of digital data sources is on prevention, management, and intervention of diseases (N = 40), and as a tool, there are also many studies (N = 10) on early warning systems for infectious diseases. However, they could also pose health hazards (N = 13), for instance, by exacerbating mental health issues and promoting smoking and drinking behavior among young people. Conclusions: The digital data sources presented are essential for collecting and mining information about human health. The key impact of social media, electronic health records, and websites is in the area of infectious diseases and early warning systems, and in the area of personal health, that is, on mental health and smoking and drinking prevention. However, further research is required to address privacy, trust, transparency, and interoperability to leverage the potential of data held in multiple datastores and systems. This study also identified the apparent gap in systematic reviews investigating the novel big data streams, Internet of Things (IoT) data streams, and sensor, mobile, and GPS data researched using artificial intelligence, complex network, and other computer science methods, as in this domain systematic reviews are not common.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Li
- University College London (UCL) Center for Digital Public Health in Emergencies (dPHE), Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - David Novillo-Ortiz
- Division of Country Health Policies and Systems, World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat
- Division of Country Health Policies and Systems, World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Patty Kostkova
- University College London (UCL) Center for Digital Public Health in Emergencies (dPHE), Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Guerra J, Davi KM, Rafael FC, Assane H, Imboua L, Diallo FBT, Tamekloe TA, Kuassi AK, Ouro-kavalah F, Tchaniley G, Ouro-Nile N, Nabeth P. Case study of Argus in Togo: An SMS and web-based application to support public health surveillance, results from 2016 to 2019. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243131. [PMID: 33259550 PMCID: PMC7707507 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Argus is an open source electronic solution to facilitate the reporting and management of public health surveillance data. Its components include an Android-phone application, used by healthcare facilities to report results via SMS; and a central server located at the Ministry of Health, displaying aggregated results on a web platform for intermediate and central levels. This study describes the results of the use of Argus in two regions of Togo. Methods Argus was used in 148 healthcare facilities from May 2016 to July 2018, expanding to 185 healthcare facilities from July 2018. Data from week 21 of 2016 to week 12 of 2019 was extracted from the Argus database and analysed. An assessment mission took place in August 2016 to collect users’ satisfaction, to estimate the concordance of the received data with the collected data, and to estimate the time required to report data with Argus. Results Overall completeness of data reporting was 76%, with 80% of reports from a given week being received before Tuesday 9PM. Concordance of data received from Argus and standard paper forms was 99.7%. Median time needed to send a report using Argus was 4 minutes. Overall completeness of data review at district, regional, and central levels were 89%, 68%, and 35% respectively. Implementation cost of Argus was 23 760 USD for 148 facilities. Conclusions The use of Argus in Togo enabled healthcare facilities to send weekly reports and alerts through SMS in a user-friendly, reliable and timely manner. Reengagement of surveillance officers at all levels, especially at the central level, enabled a dramatic increase in completeness and timeliness of data report and data review.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Guerra
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Lyon, France
- * E-mail:
| | | | | | - Hamadi Assane
- Division de la Surveillance Intégrée des Urgences Sanitaires et Riposte, Ministère de la Santé, Lomé, Togo
| | - Lucile Imboua
- Country Office, World Health Organization, Lomé, Togo
| | | | - Tsidi Agbeko Tamekloe
- Direction de la lutte contre la maladie et des Programmes de santé publique, Ministère de la Santé, Lomé, Togo
| | | | - Farihétou Ouro-kavalah
- Division de la Surveillance Intégrée des Urgences Sanitaires et Riposte, Ministère de la Santé, Lomé, Togo
| | - Ganiou Tchaniley
- Direction du système national d’information sanitaire, Ministère de la Santé, Lomé, Togo
| | - Nassirou Ouro-Nile
- Direction du système national d’information sanitaire, Ministère de la Santé, Lomé, Togo
| | - Pierre Nabeth
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Lyon, France
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Ratnayake R, Tammaro M, Tiffany A, Kongelf A, Polonsky JA, McClelland A. People-centred surveillance: a narrative review of community-based surveillance among crisis-affected populations. Lancet Planet Health 2020; 4:e483-e495. [PMID: 33038321 PMCID: PMC7542093 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(20)30221-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Outbreaks of disease in settings affected by crises grow rapidly due to late detection and weakened public health systems. Where surveillance is underfunctioning, community-based surveillance can contribute to rapid outbreak detection and response, a core capacity of the International Health Regulations. We reviewed articles describing the potential for community-based surveillance to detect diseases of epidemic potential, outbreaks, and mortality among populations affected by crises. Surveillance objectives have included the early warning of outbreaks, active case finding during outbreaks, case finding for eradication programmes, and mortality surveillance. Community-based surveillance can provide sensitive and timely detection, identify valid signals for diseases with salient symptoms, and provide continuity in remote areas during cycles of insecurity. Effectiveness appears to be mediated by operational requirements for continuous supervision of large community networks, verification of a large number of signals, and integration of community-based surveillance within the routine investigation and response infrastructure. Similar to all community health systems, community-based surveillance requires simple design, reliable supervision, and early and routine monitoring and evaluation to ensure data validity. Research priorities include the evaluation of syndromic case definitions, electronic data collection for community members, sentinel site designs, and statistical techniques to counterbalance false positive signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruwan Ratnayake
- International Rescue Committee, New York, NY, USA; Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
| | - Meghan Tammaro
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Jonathan A Polonsky
- World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland; Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Amanda McClelland
- International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Geneva, Switzerland
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Effect of MyMAFI-A Newly Developed Mobile App for Field Investigation of Food Poisoning Outbreak on the Timeliness in Reporting: A Randomized Crossover Trial. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16142453. [PMID: 31295907 PMCID: PMC6678406 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16142453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Prompt investigation of food poisoning outbreak are essential, as it usually involves a short incubation period. Utilizing the advancement in mobile technology, a mobile application named MyMAFI (My Mobile Apps for Field Investigation) was developed with the aim to be an alternative and better tool for current practices of field investigation of food poisoning outbreak. A randomized cross-over trial with two arms and two treatment periods was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the newly developed mobile application as compared to the standard paper-based format approach. Thirty-six public health inspectors from all districts in Kelantan participated in this study and they were randomized into two equal sized groups. Group A started the trial as control group using the paper-format investigation form via simulated outbreaks and group B used the mobile application. After a one-month ‘washout period’, the group was crossed over. The primary outcome measured was the time taken to complete the outbreak investigation. The treatment effects, the period effects and the period-by-treatment interaction were analyzed using Pkcross command in Stata software. There was a significant treatment effect with mean square 21840.5 and its corresponding F statistic 4.47 (p-value = 0.038), which indicated that the mobile application had significantly improve the reporting timeliness. The results also showed that there was a significant period effect (p-value = 0.025); however, the treatment by period interaction was not significant (p-value = 0.830). The newly developed mobile application—MyMAFI—can improve the timeliness in reporting for investigation of food poisoning outbreak.
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Sheel M, Collins J, Kama M, Nand D, Faktaufon D, Samuela J, Biaukula V, Haskew C, Flint J, Roper K, Merianos A, Kirk MD, Nilles E. Evaluation of the early warning, alert and response system after Cyclone Winston, Fiji, 2016. Bull World Health Organ 2019; 97:178-189C. [PMID: 30992631 DOI: 10.2471/blt.18.211409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To assess the performance of an early warning, alert and response system (EWARS) developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) - EWARS in a Box - that was used to detect and control disease outbreaks after Cyclone Winston caused destruction in Fiji on 20 February 2016. Methods Immediately after the cyclone, Fiji's Ministry of Health and Medical Services, supported by WHO, started to implement EWARS in a Box, which is a smartphone-based, automated, early warning surveillance system for rapid deployment during health emergencies. Both indicator-based and event-based surveillance were employed. The performance of the system between 7 March and 29 May 2016 was evaluated. Users' experience with the system was assessed in interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire and by a cross-sectional survey. The system's performance was assessed using data from the EWARS database. Findings Indicator-based surveillance recorded 34 113 cases of the nine syndromes under surveillance among 326 861 consultations. Three confirmed outbreaks were detected, and no large outbreak was missed. Users were satisfied with the performance of EWARS and judged it useful for timely monitoring of disease trends and outbreak detection. The system was simple, stable and flexible and could be rapidly deployed during a health emergency. The automated collation, analysis and dissemination of data reduced the burden on surveillance teams, saved human resources, minimized human error and ensured teams could focus on public health responses. Conclusion In Fiji, EWARS in a Box was effective in strengthening disease surveillance during a national emergency and was well regarded by users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meru Sheel
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Building 62, Mills Road, Canberra, ACT 2610, Australia
| | - Julie Collins
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Building 62, Mills Road, Canberra, ACT 2610, Australia
| | - Mike Kama
- Fiji Centre for Communicable Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Suva, Fiji
| | - Devina Nand
- Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Suva, Fiji
| | - Daniel Faktaufon
- Fiji Centre for Communicable Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Suva, Fiji
| | | | - Viema Biaukula
- Division of Pacific Technical Support, World Health Organization, Suva, Fiji
| | - Christopher Haskew
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - James Flint
- Hunter New England Population Health, Wallsend, Australia
| | - Katrina Roper
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Building 62, Mills Road, Canberra, ACT 2610, Australia
| | - Angela Merianos
- Division of Pacific Technical Support, World Health Organization, Suva, Fiji
| | - Martyn D Kirk
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Building 62, Mills Road, Canberra, ACT 2610, Australia
| | - Eric Nilles
- Division of Pacific Technical Support, World Health Organization, Suva, Fiji
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11
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El-Khatib Z, Shah M, Zallappa SN, Nabeth P, Guerra J, Manengu CT, Yao M, Philibert A, Massina L, Staiger CP, Mbailao R, Kouli JP, Mboma H, Duc G, Inagbe D, Barry AB, Dumont T, Cavailler P, Quere M, Willett B, Reaiche S, de Ribaucourt H, Reeder B. SMS-based smartphone application for disease surveillance has doubled completeness and timeliness in a limited-resource setting - evaluation of a 15-week pilot program in Central African Republic (CAR). Confl Health 2018; 12:42. [PMID: 30386418 PMCID: PMC6199707 DOI: 10.1186/s13031-018-0177-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It is a challenge in low-resource settings to ensure the availability of complete, timely disease surveillance information. Smartphone applications (apps) have the potential to enhance surveillance data transmission. Methods The Central African Republic (CAR) Ministry of Health and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) conducted a 15-week pilot project to test a disease surveillance app, Argus, for 20 conditions in 21 health centers in Mambéré Kadéi district (MK 2016). Results were compared to the usual paper-based surveillance in MK the year prior (MK 2015) and simultaneously in an adjacent health district, Nana-Mambére (NM 2016). Wilcoxon rank sum and Kaplan-Meier analyses compared report completeness and timeliness; the cost of the app, and users' perceptions of its usability were assessed. Results Two hundred seventy-one weekly reports sent by app identified 3403 cases and 63 deaths; 15 alerts identified 28 cases and 4 deaths. Median completeness (IQR) for MK 2016, 81% (81-86%), was significantly higher than in MK 2015 (31% (24-36%)), and NM 2016 (52% (48-57)) (p < 0.01). Median timeliness (IQR) for MK 2016, 50% (39-57%) was also higher than in MK 2015, 19% (19-24%), and NM 2016 29% (24-36%) (p < 0.01). Kaplan-Meier Survival Analysis showed a significant progressive reduction in the time taken to transmit reports over the 15-week period (p < 0.01). Users ranked the app's usability as greater than 4/5 on all dimensions. The total cost of the 15-week pilot project was US$40,575. It is estimated that to maintain the app in the 21 health facilities of MK will cost approximately US$18,800 in communication fees per year. Conclusions The app-based data transmission system more than doubled the completeness and timeliness of disease surveillance reports. This simple, low-cost intervention may permit the early detection of disease outbreaks in similar low-resource settings elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziad El-Khatib
- 1Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Geneva, Switzerland.,2Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,3World Health Programme, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT), Quebec, Canada
| | - Maya Shah
- 1Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Pierre Nabeth
- 5Country Health Emergency Preparedness & IHR (CPI), WHO Health Emergencies Programme (WHE), WHO, Lyon, France
| | - José Guerra
- 5Country Health Emergency Preparedness & IHR (CPI), WHO Health Emergencies Programme (WHE), WHO, Lyon, France
| | | | - Michel Yao
- World Health Organization (WHO), Bangui, Central African Republic
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Geraldine Duc
- 1Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dago Inagbe
- 1Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Michel Quere
- 1Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Brian Willett
- 1Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Bruce Reeder
- 1Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Geneva, Switzerland.,8Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
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12
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Adegoke OJ, Takane M, Biya O, Ota M, Murele B, Mahoney F, Nguku P, Okayasu H. Strengthening the Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) Surveillance Component of the Polio Eradication Initiative through Short Message Service (SMS) Reminders; Experience from Sokoto State, Nigeria 2014. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2018; Suppl:68-74. [PMID: 30842999 PMCID: PMC6398576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Eradication of poliomyelitis remains a public health priority due to the paralytic effects of the virus on children and impact on global health system. However, existing gaps in surveillance can hinder eradication. Improved timeliness of identification and reporting of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases with further confirmation of Wild Poliovirus (WPV) in stool samples, can help Nigeria achieve the performance indicators of non-polio AFP rate of ≥ 2/100,000 population aged < 15 years and ≥80% stool sample collection adequacy. To ascertain the awareness of AFP case definition and detection by health care workers and to evaluate the impact of SMS-based reporting on the AFP surveillance system the study was conducted from November 2013 to July 2014. In Sokoto state, 112 health facilities (focal sites) were operational and participated in this study. All AFP focal points for the 112 facilities were included in the study. In addition to AFP focal points, two clinicians per facility where possible, were included in the study. The study focused exclusively on reports from focal sites. The methodology was a one group pretest-posttest design conducted in 3 phases. 1) Pre-intervention Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) survey, 2) SMS implementation and 3) Post-intervention KAP. Results were analysed using the independent sample t-test to assess the increase in knowledge, attitudes, or practice scores pre- and post- training. The study showed improved knowledge gap of health care workers on AFP surveillance between pre and post intervention. It shows that this approach of improved surveillance will be effective in countries in hard to reach, access compromised or countries/place without sufficient surveillance staff.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwasegun Joel Adegoke
- African Field Epidemiology Network, Nigeria Country Office, Abuja, Nigeria,Correspondence: Oluwasegun Joel Adegoke, 50, Haile Selassie Street, Asokoro, Abuja, Nigeria;
| | | | - Oladayo Biya
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA
| | - Martin Ota
- World Health Organization -Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | | | - Frank Mahoney
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA
| | - Patrick Nguku
- African Field Epidemiology Network, Nigeria Country Office, Abuja, Nigeria
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13
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Swaan C, van den Broek A, Kretzschmar M, Richardus JH. Timeliness of notification systems for infectious diseases: A systematic literature review. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0198845. [PMID: 29902216 PMCID: PMC6002046 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Timely notification of infectious diseases is crucial for prompt response by public health services. Adequate notification systems facilitate timely notification. A systematic literature review was performed to assess outcomes of studies on notification timeliness and to determine which aspects of notification systems are associated with timely notification. Methodology Articles reviewing timeliness of notifications published between 2000 and 2017 were searched in Pubmed and Scopus. Using a standardized notification chain, timeliness of reporting system for each article was defined as either sufficient (≥ 80% notifications in time), partly sufficient (≥ 50–80%), or insufficient (< 50%) according to the article’s predefined timeframe, a standardized timeframe for all articles, and a disease specific timeframe. Electronic notification systems were compared with conventional methods (postal mail, fax, telephone, email) and mobile phone reporting. Results 48 articles were identified. In almost one third of the studies with a predefined timeframe (39), timeliness of notification systems was either sufficient or insufficient (11/39, 28% and 12/39, 31% resp.). Applying the standardized timeframe (45 studies) revealed similar outcomes (13/45, 29%, sufficient notification timeframe, vs 15/45, 33%, insufficient). The disease specific timeframe was not met by any study. Systems involving reporting by laboratories most often complied sufficiently with predefined or standardized timeframes. Outcomes were not related to electronic, conventional notification systems or mobile phone reporting. Electronic systems were faster in comparative studies (10/13); this hardly resulted in sufficient timeliness, neither according to predefined nor to standardized timeframes. Conclusion A minority of notification systems meets either predefined, standardized or disease specific timeframes. Systems including laboratory reporting are associated with timely notification. Electronic systems reduce reporting delay, but implementation needs considerable effort to comply with notification timeframes. During outbreak threats, patient, doctors and laboratory testing delays need to be reduced to achieve timely detection and notification. Public health authorities should incorporate procedures for this in their preparedness plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corien Swaan
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Anouk van den Broek
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Mirjam Kretzschmar
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
- University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jan Hendrik Richardus
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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14
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Craig AT, Joshua CA, Sio AR, Teobasi B, Dofai A, Dalipanda T, Hardie K, Kaldor J, Kolbe A. Enhanced surveillance during a public health emergency in a resource-limited setting: Experience from a large dengue outbreak in Solomon Islands, 2016-17. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0198487. [PMID: 29879179 PMCID: PMC5991673 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Between August-2016 and April-2017, Solomon Islands experienced the largest and longest-running dengue outbreak on record in the country, with 12,329 suspected cases, 877 hospitalisations and 16 deaths. We conducted a retrospective review of related data and documents, and conducted key informant interviews to characterise the event and investigate the adaptability of syndromic surveillance for enhanced and expanded data collection during a public health emergency in a low resource country setting. While the outbreak quickly consumed available public and clinical resources, we found that authorities were able to scale up the conventional national syndrome-based early warning surveillance system to support the increased information demands during the event demonstrating the flexibility of the system and syndromic surveillance more broadly. Challenges in scaling up included upskilling and assisting staff with no previous experience of the tasks required; managing large volumes of data; maintaining data quality for the duration of the outbreak; harmonising routine and enhanced surveillance data and maintaining surveillance for other diseases; producing information optimally useful for response planning; and managing staff fatigue. Solomon Islands, along with other countries of the region remains vulnerable to outbreaks of dengue and other communicable diseases. Ensuring surveillance systems are robust and able to adapt to changing demands during emergencies should be a health protection priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam T. Craig
- The Kirby Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Cynthia A. Joshua
- Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Honiara, Solomon Islands
| | - Alison R. Sio
- Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Honiara, Solomon Islands
| | - Bobby Teobasi
- Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Honiara, Solomon Islands
| | - Alfred Dofai
- Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Honiara, Solomon Islands
| | - Tenneth Dalipanda
- Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Honiara, Solomon Islands
| | - Kate Hardie
- Division of Pacific Technical Support, World Health Organization, Suva, Fiji
| | - John Kaldor
- The Kirby Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Anthony Kolbe
- Division of Pacific Technical Support, World Health Organization, Suva, Fiji
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15
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Ouedraogo B, Gaudart J, Dufour JC. How does the cellular phone help in epidemiological surveillance? A review of the scientific literature. Inform Health Soc Care 2017; 44:12-30. [PMID: 28829691 DOI: 10.1080/17538157.2017.1354000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the field of epidemiological surveillance, no systematic literature review appears to exist of implemented projects using cellular phone technology. METHOD We performed a systematic literature review using the Pubmed and Scopus databases to retrieve articles published up to December 2015. We analyzed information reported in these publications according to the mobile health (mHealth) evidence reporting and assessment (mERA) checklist, and complemented this work with specific items related to epidemiology, in order to clarify the types of results reported and summarized in this context. RESULTS Thirty-three articles were selected and reviewed. Each article was related to a different project. Two mERA items were systematically and fully reported, while two others were never reported. Three projects were deployed in very specific zones. Most of the projects were implemented in Africa. Infectious diseases were the elements most monitored. Most projects were based on daily data collection and SMS transmission. Economic assessment was limited to SMS, mobile phone, and implementation costs. DISCUSSION-CONCLUSION Although suitable for epidemiologic surveillance, the mERA checklist needs further interpretation. The technical and transmission modes of cellular phone use varied greatly from one study to another. No evaluation of the interoperability capabilities of cellular phones with other applications or sub-systems was possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boukary Ouedraogo
- a Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM, IRD, SESSTIM , Sciences Economiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale , Marseille , France
| | - Jean Gaudart
- a Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM, IRD, SESSTIM , Sciences Economiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale , Marseille , France.,b APHM, Hôpital de la Timone , Service Biostatistique et Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication , Marseille , France
| | - Jean-Charles Dufour
- a Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM, IRD, SESSTIM , Sciences Economiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale , Marseille , France.,b APHM, Hôpital de la Timone , Service Biostatistique et Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication , Marseille , France
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16
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Rosewell A, Makita L, Muscatello D, John LN, Bieb S, Hutton R, Ramamurthy S, Shearman P. Health information system strengthening and malaria elimination in Papua New Guinea. Malar J 2017; 16:278. [PMID: 28679421 PMCID: PMC5499047 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-017-1910-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The objective of the study was to describe an m-health initiative to strengthen malaria surveillance in a 184-health facility, multi-province, project aimed at strengthening the National Health Information System (NHIS) in a country with fragmented malaria surveillance, striving towards enhanced control, pre-elimination. Methods A remote-loading mobile application and secure online platform for health professionals was created to interface with the new system (eNHIS). A case-based malaria testing register was developed and integrated geo-coded households, villages and health facilities. A malaria programme management dashboard was created, with village-level malaria mapping tools, and statistical algorithms to identify malaria outbreaks. Results Since its inception in 2015, 160,750 malaria testing records, including village of residence, have been reported to the eNHIS. These case-based, geo-coded malaria data are 100% complete, with a median data entry delay of 9 days from the date of testing. The system maps malaria to the village level in near real-time as well as the availability of treatment and diagnostics to health facility level. Data aggregation, analysis, outbreak detection, and reporting are automated. Conclusions The study demonstrates that using mobile technologies and GIS in the capture and reporting of NHIS data in Papua New Guinea provides timely, high quality, geo-coded, case-based malaria data required for malaria elimination. The health systems strengthening approach of integrating malaria information management into the eNHIS optimizes sustainability and provides enormous flexibility to cater for future malaria programme needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Rosewell
- PNG Remote Sensing Centre, PO Box 1733, Waterfront, Konedobu, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. .,School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052, Australia.
| | - Leo Makita
- National Department of Health, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
| | - David Muscatello
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052, Australia
| | | | - Sibauk Bieb
- National Department of Health, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
| | | | - Sundar Ramamurthy
- PNG Remote Sensing Centre, PO Box 1733, Waterfront, Konedobu, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
| | - Phil Shearman
- PNG Remote Sensing Centre, PO Box 1733, Waterfront, Konedobu, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.,School of Botany and Zoology, The Australian National University, Linnaeus Way, Canberra, 0200, Australia
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17
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Hardy MC, Barrington DJ. A Transdisciplinary Approach to Managing Emerging and Resurging Mosquito-Borne Diseases in the Western Pacific Region. Trop Med Infect Dis 2017; 2:E1. [PMID: 30270860 PMCID: PMC6082050 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed2010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Revised: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 12/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes transmit a number of harmful diseases that have an impact on local communities and visitors, and many pose a threat to neighboring countries. As federal monitoring budgets shrink across the world, the increasing importance of citizen scientists in monitoring and identifying invasive species, as well as acting to prevent these diseases, are discussed. Examples of past mosquito management programs are provided, and future directions are discussed with an emphasis on the Western Pacific Region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret C Hardy
- Division of Chemistry and Structural Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Dani J Barrington
- Department of Marketing, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
- International Water Centre, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia.
- School of Public Health and Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
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18
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Lester J, Paige S, Chapman CA, Gibson M, Holland Jones J, Switzer WM, Ting N, Goldberg TL, Frost SDW. Assessing Commitment and Reporting Fidelity to a Text Message-Based Participatory Surveillance in Rural Western Uganda. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155971. [PMID: 27281020 PMCID: PMC4900526 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Syndromic surveillance, the collection of symptom data from individuals prior to or in the absence of diagnosis, is used throughout the developed world to provide rapid indications of outbreaks and unusual patterns of disease. However, the low cost of syndromic surveillance also makes it highly attractive for the developing world. We present a case study of electronic participatory syndromic surveillance, using participant-mobile phones in a rural region of Western Uganda, which has a high infectious disease burden, and frequent local and regional outbreaks. Our platform uses text messages to encode a suite of symptoms, their associated durations, and household disease burden, and we explore the ability of participants to correctly encode their symptoms, with an average of 75.2% of symptom reports correctly formatted between the second and 11th reporting timeslots. Concomitantly we identify divisions between participants able to rapidly adjust to this unusually participatory style of data collection, and those few for whom the study proved more challenging. We then perform analyses of the resulting syndromic time series, examining the clustering of symptoms by time and household to identify patterns such as a tendency towards the within-household sharing of respiratory illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Lester
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Paige
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
- Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Colin A. Chapman
- Department of Anthropology and McGill School of Environment, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; and Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Mhairi Gibson
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - James Holland Jones
- Department of Anthropology, Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - William M. Switzer
- Laboratory Branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Nelson Ting
- Department of Anthropology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States of America
| | - Tony L. Goldberg
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
- Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Simon D. W. Frost
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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19
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Datta SS, Ropa B, Sui GP, Khattar R, Krishnan RSSG, Okayasu H. Using short-message-service notification as a method to improve acute flaccid paralysis surveillance in Papua New Guinea. BMC Public Health 2016; 16:409. [PMID: 27185174 PMCID: PMC4869347 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-016-3062-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 04/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background High quality acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance is required to maintain polio-free status of a country. Papua New Guinea (PNG) is considered as one of the highest risk countries for polio re-importation and circulation in the Western Pacific Region (WPRO) of the World Health Organization due to poor healthcare infrastructure and inadequate performance in AFP surveillance. The Government of PNG, in collaboration with WHO, piloted the introduction of short-message-service (SMS) to sensitize pediatricians and provincial disease control officers on AFP and to receive notification of possible AFP cases to improve surveillance quality in PNG. Methods Ninety six health care professionals were registered to receive SMS reminders to report any case of acute flaccid paralysis. Fourteen SMS messages were sent to each participant from September 2012 to November 2013. The number of reported AFP cases were compared before and after the introduction of SMS. Results Two hundred fifty three unique responses were received with an overall response rate of 21 %. More than 80 % of responses were reported within 3 days of sending the SMS. The number of reported AFP cases increased from 10 cases per year in 2009–2012 to 25 cases per year during the study period and correlated with provincial participation of the health care professionals. Conclusions Combined with improved sensitization of health care professionals on AFP reporting criteria and sample collection, SMS messaging provides an effective means to increase timely reporting and improve the availability of epidemiologic information on polio surveillance in PNG.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Berry Ropa
- National Surveillance Unit, National Department of Health, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
| | - Gerard Pai Sui
- National Surveillance Unit, National Department of Health, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
| | - Ramzi Khattar
- University Health Network, Multi-Organ Transplant Program, Toronto, Canada. .,University of Toronto, Max Bell Research Centre, 200 Elizabeth St, Room 2-416, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A3, Canada.
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20
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Ashton RA, Kefyalew T, Batisso E, Awano T, Kebede Z, Tesfaye G, Mesele T, Chibsa S, Reithinger R, Brooker SJ. The usefulness of school-based syndromic surveillance for detecting malaria epidemics: experiences from a pilot project in Ethiopia. BMC Public Health 2016; 16:20. [PMID: 26749325 PMCID: PMC4707000 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-2680-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Syndromic surveillance is a supplementary approach to routine surveillance, using pre-diagnostic and non-clinical surrogate data to identify possible infectious disease outbreaks. To date, syndromic surveillance has primarily been used in high-income countries for diseases such as influenza -- however, the approach may also be relevant to resource-poor settings. This study investigated the potential for monitoring school absenteeism and febrile illness, as part of a school-based surveillance system to identify localised malaria epidemics in Ethiopia. Methods Repeated cross-sectional school- and community-based surveys were conducted in six epidemic-prone districts in southern Ethiopia during the 2012 minor malaria transmission season to characterise prospective surrogate and syndromic indicators of malaria burden. Changes in these indicators over the transmission season were compared to standard indicators of malaria (clinical and confirmed cases) at proximal health facilities. Subsequently, two pilot surveillance systems were implemented, each at ten sites throughout the peak transmission season. Indicators piloted were school attendance recorded by teachers, or child-reported recent absenteeism from school and reported febrile illness. Results Lack of seasonal increase in malaria burden limited the ability to evaluate sensitivity of the piloted syndromic surveillance systems compared to existing surveillance at health facilities. Weekly absenteeism was easily calculated by school staff using existing attendance registers, while syndromic indicators were more challenging to collect weekly from schoolchildren. In this setting, enrolment of school-aged children was found to be low, at 54 %. Non-enrolment was associated with low household wealth, lack of parental education, household size, and distance from school. Conclusions School absenteeism is a plausible simple indicator of unusual health events within a community, such as malaria epidemics, but the sensitivity of an absenteeism-based surveillance system to detect epidemics could not be rigorously evaluated in this study. Further piloting during a demonstrated increase in malaria transmission within a community is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth A Ashton
- Malaria Consortium, London, UK. .,Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
| | | | - Esey Batisso
- Malaria Consortium Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Regional State sub-office, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
| | - Tessema Awano
- Malaria Consortium Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Regional State sub-office, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
| | | | | | - Tamiru Mesele
- Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Regional State Health Bureau, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
| | - Sheleme Chibsa
- President's Malaria Initiative, U.S. Agency for International Development, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
| | - Richard Reithinger
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK. .,RTI International, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Simon J Brooker
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
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Ford L, Miller M, Cawthorne A, Fearnley E, Kirk M. Approaches to the Surveillance of Foodborne Disease: A Review of the Evidence. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2015; 12:927-36. [DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2015.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Ford
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Australia
| | - Megge Miller
- Department for Health and Ageing, Adelaide, South Australia (SA), Australia
| | | | - Emily Fearnley
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Australia
| | - Martyn Kirk
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Australia
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22
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JANATI A, HOSSEINY M, GOUYA MM, MORADI G, GHADERI E. Communicable Disease Reporting Systems in the World: A Systematic Review Article. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH 2015; 44:1453-65. [PMID: 26744702 PMCID: PMC4703224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2015] [Accepted: 10/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Communicable disease reporting and surveillance system has poor infrastructure and supporters in most of countries. Its quality improvement is a challenge and requires an accurate and efficient care and reporting systems at all levels to achieve new and simple models. This study evaluates reporting systems of communicable diseases using systematic review. METHODS This was a systematic review study. For data collection, we used the following database and search engines: Proquest, Science direct, Pub MED, Scopes, Springer, and EBESCO. For Persian databases, we used SID, Iranmedex and Magiran. Our key words were "Communicable Diseases", "Notifiable Disease", "Disease Notification", "Reporting System"," Surveillance Systems" and "evaluation". Two independent researchers reviewed the resources and the results were classified in different domains. RESULTS From 1889 cases, only 66 resources were studied. The results were classified in several domains, including those who were reporting, reporting methods and procedures, responsibilities and reporting system characteristics, problems and solutions of the report, the reporting process, and receptor level. CONCLUSION Disease-reporting system has similar problems in all parts of the world. Change, improve, update and continuous monitoring of the reporting system are very important. Although the reporting process can vary in different regions, but being perfect and timely are important principles in system design. Detailed explanations of tasks and providing appropriate instructions are the most important points to integrate an efficient reporting system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali JANATI
- Dept. of Health Services Management, Faculty of Management and Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tbriz, Iran
| | - Mozhgan HOSSEINY
- Dept. of Health Services Management, Faculty of Management and Medical Informatics, Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tbriz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mehdi GOUYA
- Center for Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ghobad MORADI
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
- Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Ebrahim GHADERI
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
- Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
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23
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Brookes VJ, Hernández-Jover M, Black PF, Ward MP. Preparedness for emerging infectious diseases: pathways from anticipation to action. Epidemiol Infect 2015; 143:2043-58. [PMID: 25500338 PMCID: PMC9506985 DOI: 10.1017/s095026881400315x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2014] [Revised: 10/16/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging and re-emerging infectious disease (EID) events can have devastating human, animal and environmental health impacts. The emergence of EIDs has been associated with interconnected economic, social and environmental changes. Understanding these changes is crucial for EID preparedness and subsequent prevention and control of EID events. The aim of this review is to describe tools currently available for identification, prioritization and investigation of EIDs impacting human and animal health, and how these might be integrated into a systematic approach for directing EID preparedness. Environmental scanning, foresight programmes, horizon scanning and surveillance are used to collect and assess information for rapidly responding to EIDs and to anticipate drivers of emergence for mitigating future EID impacts. Prioritization of EIDs - using transparent and repeatable methods - based on disease impacts and the importance of those impacts to decision-makers can then be used for more efficient resource allocation for prevention and control. Risk assessment and simulation modelling methods assess the likelihood of EIDs occurring, define impact and identify mitigation strategies. Each of these tools has a role to play individually; however, we propose integration of these tools into a framework that enhances the development of tactical and strategic plans for emerging risk preparedness.
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Affiliation(s)
- V J Brookes
- Faculty of Veterinary Science,The University of Sydney,Camden,NSW,Australia
| | - M Hernández-Jover
- Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Charles Sturt University,Wagga Wagga,NSW,Australia
| | - P F Black
- Essential Foresight,Canberra,ACT,Australia
| | - M P Ward
- Faculty of Veterinary Science,The University of Sydney,Camden,NSW,Australia
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Diwan V, Agnihotri D, Hulth A. Collecting syndromic surveillance data by mobile phone in rural India: implementation and feasibility. Glob Health Action 2015; 8:26608. [PMID: 25843499 PMCID: PMC4385906 DOI: 10.3402/gha.v8.26608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2014] [Revised: 01/28/2015] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Infectious disease surveillance has long been a challenge for countries like India, where 75% of the health care services are private and consist of both formal and informal health care providers. Infectious disease surveillance data are regularly collected from governmental and qualified private facilities, but not from the informal sector. This study describes a mobile-based syndromic surveillance system and its application in a resource-limited setting, collecting data on patients’ symptoms from formal and informal health care providers. Design The study includes three formal and six informal health care providers from two districts of Madhya Pradesh, India. Data collectors were posted in the clinics during the providers’ working hours and entered patient information and infectious disease symptoms on the mobile-based syndromic surveillance system. Results Information on 20,424 patients was collected in the mobile-based surveillance system. The five most common (overlapping) symptoms were fever (48%), cough (38%), body ache (38%), headache (37%), and runny nose (22%). During the same time period, the government's disease surveillance program reported around 22,000 fever cases in one district as a whole. Our data – from a very small fraction of all health care providers – thus highlight an enormous underreporting in the official surveillance data, which we estimate here to capture less than 1% of the fever cases. Additionally, we found that patients from more than 600 villages visited the nine providers included in our study. Conclusions The study demonstrated that a mobile-based system can be used for disease surveillance from formal and informal providers in resource-limited settings. People who have not used smartphones or even computers previously can, in a short timeframe, be trained to fill out surveillance forms and submit them from the device. Technology, including network connections, works sufficiently for disease surveillance applications in rural parts of India. The data collected may be used to better understand the health-seeking behaviour of those visiting informal providers, as they do not report through any official channels. We also show that the underreporting to the government can be enormous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishal Diwan
- Department of Public Health and Environment, R.D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain, India.,International Center for Health Research, R.D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain, India.,Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Deepak Agnihotri
- Department of Public Health and Environment, R.D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain, India
| | - Anette Hulth
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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