TY - JOUR
T1 - A mobile phone application for malaria case-based reporting to advance malaria surveillance in Myanmar
T2 - a mixed methods evaluation
AU - Win Han Oo, Han Oo
AU - Win Htike, Htike
AU - Cutts, Julia C.
AU - Kyawt Mon Win, Mon Win
AU - Kaung Myat Thu, Myat Thu
AU - May Chan Oo, Chan Oo
AU - Galau Naw Hkawng, Naw Hkawng
AU - Agius, Paul A.
AU - Pyae Phyo Htoon, Phyo Htoon
AU - Scott, Nick
AU - Kearney, Ellen
AU - Moreira, Clarissa
AU - Pedrana, Alisa
AU - Stoove, Mark
AU - Aung Thi, Thi
AU - Ye Win Aung, Win Aung
AU - Min Min Thein, Min Thein
AU - Rosecrans, Kathryn
AU - Kyi Tun Lwin, Tun Lwin
AU - Aung Kyi Min, Kyi Min
AU - Fowkes, Freya J.I.
N1 - Funding Information:
The implementation of MCBR and its evaluation was funded by Save the Children, Myanmar. Further funding was received from the National Health and Medical Research Council (Australian Centre for Research Excellence in Malaria Elimination (ACREME) to FJIF (1134989); Career Development Fellowship to FJIF (1166753); and its Independent Research Institute Infrastructure Support Scheme). The authors gratefully acknowledge the contribution to this work of the Victorian Operational Infrastructure Support Program received by the Burnet Institute. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Funding Information:
The following people or organizations are acknowledged for their valuable contributions to the study: Integrated Community Malaria Volunteers, study participants and staff from the National Malaria Control Programme, International Organization for Migration, Health Poverty Action and Save the Children; Caroline Taunton from the Burnet Institute; Dr. Thandar Lwin (Deputy Director General, Department of Public Health), Dr. Than Naing Soe (Director, Department of Public Health), Dr. Sithu Aung (Director ? Disease Control, Department of Public Health) from the Myanmar Ministry of Health and Sports; Dr. Myo Set Aung from Save the Children; Dr. Su Su Zin, Dr. Zaw Win Tun, Chaw Theingi from United Nations Office for Project Services.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - Background: To achieve malaria elimination in the Greater Mekong Subregion, including Myanmar, it is necessary to ensure all malaria cases are detected, treated, and reported in a timely manner. Mobile phone-based applications for malaria reporting, case management, and surveillance implemented at a community-level may overcome reporting limitations associated with current paper-based reporting (PBR), but their effectiveness in this context is unknown. Methods: A mixed methods evaluation study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of a national Malaria Case-Based Reporting (MCBR) mobile phone application in improving malaria case reporting compared to the existing PBR reporting system in Myanmar. Methods included secondary analysis of malaria case report data, questionnaires, focus group discussions and field observations of community volunteers, interviews and direct observations of malaria programme stakeholders, and cost analysis. Using a combination of these approaches the following areas were investigated: data quality and completeness, data access and usage, capacity for timely reporting, the acceptability, functionality, and ease of use of the application and facilitators and barriers to its use, and the relative cost of MCBR compared to the PBR system. Results: Compared to PBR, MCBR enabled more accurate and complete data to be reported in a much timelier manner, with 63% of MCBR users reporting they transmit rapid diagnostic test outcomes within 24 h, compared to 0% of PBR users. MCBR was favoured by integrated community malaria volunteers and their supervisors because of its efficiency. However, several technical and operational challenges associated with internet coverage, data transmission, and e-literacy were identified and stakeholders reported not being confident to rely solely on MCBR data for programmatic decision-making. Conclusions: Implementation of MCBR provided timely and accurate data for malaria surveillance. Findings from this evaluation study will enable the optimization of an application-based reporting system for malaria monitoring and surveillance in the Greater Mekong Subregion and advance systems to track progress towards, and certify, the achievement of malaria elimination targets.
AB - Background: To achieve malaria elimination in the Greater Mekong Subregion, including Myanmar, it is necessary to ensure all malaria cases are detected, treated, and reported in a timely manner. Mobile phone-based applications for malaria reporting, case management, and surveillance implemented at a community-level may overcome reporting limitations associated with current paper-based reporting (PBR), but their effectiveness in this context is unknown. Methods: A mixed methods evaluation study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of a national Malaria Case-Based Reporting (MCBR) mobile phone application in improving malaria case reporting compared to the existing PBR reporting system in Myanmar. Methods included secondary analysis of malaria case report data, questionnaires, focus group discussions and field observations of community volunteers, interviews and direct observations of malaria programme stakeholders, and cost analysis. Using a combination of these approaches the following areas were investigated: data quality and completeness, data access and usage, capacity for timely reporting, the acceptability, functionality, and ease of use of the application and facilitators and barriers to its use, and the relative cost of MCBR compared to the PBR system. Results: Compared to PBR, MCBR enabled more accurate and complete data to be reported in a much timelier manner, with 63% of MCBR users reporting they transmit rapid diagnostic test outcomes within 24 h, compared to 0% of PBR users. MCBR was favoured by integrated community malaria volunteers and their supervisors because of its efficiency. However, several technical and operational challenges associated with internet coverage, data transmission, and e-literacy were identified and stakeholders reported not being confident to rely solely on MCBR data for programmatic decision-making. Conclusions: Implementation of MCBR provided timely and accurate data for malaria surveillance. Findings from this evaluation study will enable the optimization of an application-based reporting system for malaria monitoring and surveillance in the Greater Mekong Subregion and advance systems to track progress towards, and certify, the achievement of malaria elimination targets.
KW - Elimination
KW - Malaria
KW - mHealth
KW - Mobile phone applications
KW - Surveillance
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103594381&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12936-021-03701-6
DO - 10.1186/s12936-021-03701-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 33771144
AN - SCOPUS:85103594381
SN - 1475-2875
VL - 20
JO - Malaria Journal
JF - Malaria Journal
IS - 1
M1 - 167
ER -
