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Morbidity management and surveillance of lymphatic filariasis disease and acute dermatolymphangioadenitis attacks using a mobile phone-based tool by community health volunteers in Ghana
- Source :
- PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol 14, Iss 11, p e0008839 (2020)
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Morbidity burden of lymphatic filariasis (LF) relies on the information from the Mass Drug Administration (MDA) programme where Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) passively report cases identified. Consequently, the exact prevalence of morbidity cases is not always accurate. The use of mobile phone technology to report morbidity cases was piloted in Ghana using a text-based short messaging service (SMS) tool by CHVs. Though successful, illiterate CHVs could not effectively use the SMS tool. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of a mobile phone-based Interactive Voice Response System (mIVRS) by CHVs in reporting LF morbidity cases and acute dermatolymphangioadenitis (ADLA) attacks in Ghana. The mIVRS was designed as a surveillance tool to capture LF data in Kassena Nankana Districts of Ghana. One hundred CHVs were trained to identify and report lymphedema and hydrocele cases as well as ADLA attacks by calling a hotline linked to the mIVRS. The system asked a series of questions about the disease condition. The ability of the CHV to report accurately was assessed and the data from the mIVRS were compared with the paper records from the CHVs and existing MDA programme records from the same communities and period. Higher numbers of lymphedema and hydrocele cases were recorded by the CHVs using the mIVRS (n = 590 and n = 103) compared to the paper-based reporting (n = 417 and n = 76) and the MDA records (n = 154 and n = 84). Female CHVs, CHVs above 40 years, and CHVs with higher educational levels were better at paper-based reporting (P = 0.007, P = 0.001, P = 0.049 respectively). The system, when fully developed and linked to national databases, may help to overcome underreporting of morbidity cases and ADLA attacks in endemic communities. The system has the potential to be further expanded to other diseases.<br />Author summary The goal towards the elimination of lymphatic filariasis as indicated by Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) is to identify persons with morbidity such as lymphedema and hydrocele and manage their condition to make their lives better. Patients who experience acute attacks also need to be identified and given help or treatment. The number of lymphedema and hydrocele patients in lymphatic filariasis endemic communities are usually underreported. This consequently affects their management. Therefore, an innovative tool such as a mobile phone-based interactive voice response system (mIVRS) that can give accurate information on morbidity cases in real time and also reduce the underreporting of cases is needed. In this study, more morbidity cases and more acute attacks were reported using mIVRS than with the traditional methods. If implemented, this innovative method of reporting cases and acute attacks may help programme managers to ensure that the patients are identified to receive care. It can also be extended to other infectious and non-infectious diseases.
- Subjects :
- Male
Epidemiology
RC955-962
Social Sciences
Disease
Ghana
0302 clinical medicine
Medical Conditions
Sociology
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
Hydrocele
Prevalence
Medicine and Health Sciences
Medicine
Edema
030212 general & internal medicine
Lymphedema
Lymphatic filariasis
Hotline
Middle Aged
Testicular Hydrocele
Filariasis
Infectious Diseases
Helminth Infections
Community health
Epidemiological Monitoring
Engineering and Technology
Female
Medical emergency
Public aspects of medicine
RA1-1270
Research Article
Neglected Tropical Diseases
Adult
030231 tropical medicine
MEDLINE
Equipment
Disease Surveillance
Education
03 medical and health sciences
Young Adult
Elephantiasis, Filarial
Signs and Symptoms
Parasitic Diseases
Animals
Humans
Wuchereria bancrofti
Mass drug administration
Disease Notification
Educational Attainment
Aged
Communication Equipment
business.industry
Lymphatic Filariasis
Health Services Administration and Management
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
medicine.disease
Tropical Diseases
Health Care
Clinical Medicine
Health Statistics
Morbidity
Cell Phones
business
Cell Phone
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 19352735
- Volume :
- 14
- Issue :
- 11
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PLoS neglected tropical diseases
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....ec4d64bda1d35f0699f538e9fb4b6b58