Mableson, Hayley E 
ORCID: 0000-0001-8731-6603, Martindale, Sarah, Stanton, Michelle C ORCID: 0000-0002-1754-4894, Mackenzie, Charles and Kelly-Hope, Louise A ORCID: 0000-0002-3330-7629
(2017)
Community-based field implementation scenarios of a short message service reporting tool for lymphatic filariasis case estimates in Africa and Asia.
mHealth, 3 (7).
28-.
Abstract
<h4>Background</h4>Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) targeted for global elimination by 2020. Currently there is considerable international effort to scale-up morbidity management activities in endemic countries, however there remains a need for rapid, cost-effective methods and adaptable tools for obtaining estimates of people presenting with clinical manifestations of LF, namely lymphoedema and hydrocele. The mHealth tool '<i>MeasureSMS-Morbidity</i>' allows health workers in endemic areas to use their own mobile phones to send clinical information in a simple format using short message service (SMS). The experience gained through programmatic use of the tool in five endemic countries across a diversity of settings in Africa and Asia is used here to present implementation scenarios that are suitable for adapting the tool for use in a range of different programmatic, endemic, demographic and health system settings.<h4>Methods</h4>A checklist of five key factors and sub-questions was used to determine and define specific community-based field implementation scenarios for using the <i>MeasureSMS-Morbidity</i> tool in a range of settings. These factors included: (I) tool feasibility (acceptability; community access and ownership); (II) LF endemicity (high; low prevalence); (III) population demography (urban; rural); (IV) health system structure (human resources; community access); and (V) integration with other diseases (co-endemicity).<h4>Results</h4>Based on experiences in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Malawi, Nepal and Tanzania, four implementation scenarios were identified as suitable for using the <i>MeasureSMS-Morbidity</i> tool for searching and reporting LF clinical case data across a range of programmatic, endemic, demographic and health system settings. These include: (I) urban, high endemic setting with two-tier reporting; (II) rural, high endemic setting with one-tier reporting; (III) rural, high endemic setting with two-tier reporting; and (IV) low-endemic, urban and rural setting with one-tier reporting.<h4>Conclusions</h4>A decision-making framework built from the key factors and questions, and the resulting four implementation scenarios is proposed as a means of using the <i>MeasureSMS-Morbidity</i> tool. This framework will help national LF programmes consider appropriate methods to implement a survey using this tool to improve estimates of the clinical burden of LF. Obtaining LF case estimates is a vital step towards the elimination of LF as a public health problem in endemic countries.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Lymphatic filariasis (LF), community health workers (CHWs), hydrocele, lymphoedema, mHealth, morbidity mapping, short message service (SMS) |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 18 May 2021 09:28 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Mar 2024 04:57 |
| DOI: | 10.21037/mhealth.2017.06.06 |
| Open Access URL: | http://doi.org/10.21037/mhealth.2017.06.06 |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3123153 |
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