Use of cell phones for field data capture in a Dengue Decision Support System

Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria inflict a terrible and unacceptable burden on humankind and are impediments to socioeconomic development. Novel solutions to operationally improve prevention and control of these and other infectious diseases in resource-constrained environments are needed. We propose to expand a computer-based Dengue Decision Support System (DDSS), which is currently being developed in collaboration between Colorado State University (CSU) and academic (Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, UAY) and public health institutions (Servicios de Salud de Yucatan, SSY) in Yucatan, Mexico, to support the use of cell phones for field capture and rapid transfer of data to a central DDSS database. Use of cell phones exploits existing communications infrastructure and also introduces near real time monitoring capacity. Specific Aims are to: (1) Develop software that allows the use of existing DDSS database schema and data entry screens for mosquito vector-related data on cell phones. This will be accomplished by a software development team including personnel from the CSU Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Dept. of Computer Science, and Center for Bioinformatics, and from UAY in Merida, Yucatan. We will use an iterative development model where software functionality (use cases) is successively added, field tested (see SA 2) and refined. The software will be open source and made freely available through the Colorado State University "Risk Assessment and Management Solutions for Arthropod-borne Infectious Diseases" webpage. (2) Operationally field test software use cases as well as the practical use of cell phones for field capture and transmission of mosquito vector-related data in Merida to a central DDSS database maintained at UAY. Personnel hired under a subcontract to UAY will accompany SSY teams during field surveillance and control of the dengue virus vector Aedes aegypti and duplicate data captured by SSY on paper forms through electronic data capture using cell phones equipped with the software developed in SA 1. Different methods to transfer field-collected data to our DDSS database server at UAY via cell phones will be explored including linking to the database through the Internet using a Wireless Application Protocol making use of the General Packet Radio Service system in the cellular network and cell phones with a laptop base without making use of the cellular network. System functionality and cost-effectiveness will be determined. We expect the use of cell phones for electronic data capture in the field to revolutionize data collection and improve data management practices for infectious diseases in developing countries in coming decades. This includes vector-borne, water-borne and food-borne diseases where data relating to the vector or source of contamination routinely are collected in the field. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Novel solutions are urgently needed to improve operational management of vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria in resource-constrained environments. We propose to expand a computer-based Dengue Decision Support System (DDSS), which is currently being developed in collaboration between Colorado State University and academic (Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan) and public health institutions (Servicios de Salud de Yucatan) in Yucatan, Mexico, to support the use of cell phones for field capture and rapid transfer of data to a central DDSS database. The goals are to (1) develop software that allows the use of existing DDSS database schema and data entry screens for mosquito vector-related data on cell phones and (2) operationally field test software use cases as well as the practical use of cell phones for field capture and transmission of mosquito vector-related data in Merida, Yucatan, to a central DDSS database maintained at Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan.