Abstract:Background
For the last 10 years, mobile phones have provided the global health community with innovative and cost-effective strategies to address the challenges in the prevention and management of dengue fever.
Objective
The aim is to introduce and describe the design and development process of Mozzify, an integrated mobile health (mHealth) app that features real-time dengue fever case reporting and mapping system, health communication (real-time world… Show more
“…The FeverApp is a documentation tool for the FeverApp registry, which also provides parents with guideline information on the subject of fevers to increase parental knowledge and confidence. While other health apps with a focus on fevers emphasize on surveillance of specific illnesses in specific seasons, such as influenza [ 23 , 24 ], Dengue fever [ 25 ], or malaria [ 26 ], the FeverApp registry concentrates on pediatric fever as a symptom and a common reason of parental anxiety and overuse of antibiotics, antipyretics, and health services. To the best of our knowledge, there are very few research-based mobile applications that focus both on educating parents and include a diary-function to record fever episodes and the way parents manage fever.…”
The FeverApp Registry is a model registry focusing on pediatric fever using a mobile app to collect data and present recommendations. The recorded interactions can clarify the relationship between user documentation and user information. This initial evaluation regarding features of participants and usage intensity of educational video, information library, and documentation of fever events covers the runtime of FeverApp for the first 14 months. Of the 1592 users, the educational opening video was viewed by 41.5%, the Info Library was viewed by 37.5%, and fever events were documented by 55.5%. In the current sample, the role of a mother (p < 0.0090), having a higher level of education (p = 0.0013), or being registered at an earlier date appear to be cues to take note of the training video, Info Library, and to document. The FeverApp was used slightly less by people with a lower level of education or who had a migration background, but at the current stage of recruitment no conclusion can be made. The user analyses presented here are plausible and should be verified with further dissemination of the registry. Ecological momentary assessment is used more than the information option, in line with the task of a registry. Data collection via app seems feasible.
“…The FeverApp is a documentation tool for the FeverApp registry, which also provides parents with guideline information on the subject of fevers to increase parental knowledge and confidence. While other health apps with a focus on fevers emphasize on surveillance of specific illnesses in specific seasons, such as influenza [ 23 , 24 ], Dengue fever [ 25 ], or malaria [ 26 ], the FeverApp registry concentrates on pediatric fever as a symptom and a common reason of parental anxiety and overuse of antibiotics, antipyretics, and health services. To the best of our knowledge, there are very few research-based mobile applications that focus both on educating parents and include a diary-function to record fever episodes and the way parents manage fever.…”
The FeverApp Registry is a model registry focusing on pediatric fever using a mobile app to collect data and present recommendations. The recorded interactions can clarify the relationship between user documentation and user information. This initial evaluation regarding features of participants and usage intensity of educational video, information library, and documentation of fever events covers the runtime of FeverApp for the first 14 months. Of the 1592 users, the educational opening video was viewed by 41.5%, the Info Library was viewed by 37.5%, and fever events were documented by 55.5%. In the current sample, the role of a mother (p < 0.0090), having a higher level of education (p = 0.0013), or being registered at an earlier date appear to be cues to take note of the training video, Info Library, and to document. The FeverApp was used slightly less by people with a lower level of education or who had a migration background, but at the current stage of recruitment no conclusion can be made. The user analyses presented here are plausible and should be verified with further dissemination of the registry. Ecological momentary assessment is used more than the information option, in line with the task of a registry. Data collection via app seems feasible.
“…Mozzify is a noncommercial app that features real-time reporting and mapping of dengue cases, comprehensive health communication, and an evidence-based behavior modification system tailored for members of the general public and health care professionals [ 11 ] ( Figure 1 ). It is an integrated mHealth app that combines appropriate surveillance methods in the early detection of disease outbreaks: indicator-based surveillance (IBS), event-based surveillance (EBS), and behavior modification [ 3 ].…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…It is an integrated mHealth app that combines appropriate surveillance methods in the early detection of disease outbreaks: indicator-based surveillance (IBS), event-based surveillance (EBS), and behavior modification [ 3 ]. The app includes health care professionals in reporting laboratory-confirmed dengue fever cases, which is the provision of IBS [ 3 , 9 , 11 ]. It also uses ArcGIS’s spatial analysis feature (Environmental Systems Research Institute) to identify hotspots, which is also an IBS method (sentinel surveillance) [ 3 , 11 , 12 ].…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The app includes health care professionals in reporting laboratory-confirmed dengue fever cases, which is the provision of IBS [ 3 , 9 , 11 ]. It also uses ArcGIS’s spatial analysis feature (Environmental Systems Research Institute) to identify hotspots, which is also an IBS method (sentinel surveillance) [ 3 , 11 , 12 ]. The reporting and mapping of patients with probable or suspected (with clinical symptoms) dengue fever through its interactive symptoms checker (syndromic surveillance, also an IBS method) is another app feature [ 3 , 9 , 11 , 13 ].…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…It also uses ArcGIS’s spatial analysis feature (Environmental Systems Research Institute) to identify hotspots, which is also an IBS method (sentinel surveillance) [ 3 , 11 , 12 ]. The reporting and mapping of patients with probable or suspected (with clinical symptoms) dengue fever through its interactive symptoms checker (syndromic surveillance, also an IBS method) is another app feature [ 3 , 9 , 11 , 13 ]. Mozzify also includes media reports and news, social media (timeline/chat forum), and links to websites of international and local health agencies to detect and monitor outbreaks which is the provision of the EBS method [ 3 , 11 , 14 ].…”
Background
While early detection and effective control of epidemics depend on appropriate surveillance methods, the Philippines bases its dengue fever surveillance system on a passive surveillance method (notifications from barangay/village health centers, municipal or city health offices, hospitals, and clinics). There is no available mHealth (mobile health) app for dengue fever that includes all the appropriate surveillance methods in early detection of disease outbreaks in the country.
Objective
This study aimed to evaluate the usability of the Mozzify app in terms of objective quality (engagement, functionality, aesthetics, information) and app subjective and app-specific qualities and compare total app mean score ratings by sociodemographic profile and self and family dengue fever history to see what factors are associated with high app mean score rating among school-based young adult samples and health care professionals. Individual interviews and focus group discussions were also conducted among participants to develop themes from their comments and suggestions to help structure further improvement and future development of the app.
Methods
User experience sessions were conducted among participants, and the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) professional and user versions (uMARS) were administered followed by individual interviews and focus group discussions. Descriptive statistical analysis of the MARS and uMARS score ratings was performed. The total app mean score ratings by sociodemographic and dengue fever history using nonparametric mean difference analyses were also conducted. Thematic synthesis was used to develop themes from the comments and suggestions raised in individual interviews and focus group discussions.
Results
Mozzify obtained an overall >4 (out of 5) mean score ratings in the MARS and uMARS app objective quality (4.45), subjective (4.17), and specific (4.55) scales among 948 participants (79 health care professionals and 869 school-based samples). Mean difference analyses revealed that total app mean score ratings were not significantly different across ages and gender among health care professionals and across age, income categories, and self and family dengue fever history but not gender (P<.001) among the school-based samples. Thematic syntheses revealed 7 major themes: multilanguage options and including other diseases; Android version availability; improvements on the app’s content, design, and engagement; inclusion of users from low-income and rural areas; Wi-Fi connection and app size concerns; data credibility and issues regarding user security and privacy.
Conclusions
With its acceptable performance as perceived by health care professionals and school-based young adults, Mozzify has the potential to be used as a strategic health intervention system for early detection of disease outbreaks in the Philippines. It can be used by health care professionals of any age and gender and by school-based samples of any age, socioeconomic status, and dengue fever history. The study also highlights the feasibility of school-based young adults to use health-related apps for disease prevention.
Objective:
The aim of this study is to assess knowledge and attitudes toward Zika virus disease (ZVD) as well as mosquito prevention practices in Malaysia at a nationwide level.
Methods:
Computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) were conducted between June 2019 and February 2020.
Results:
There are gaps in knowledge about the symptoms, mode of transmission, and risk of microcephaly. The mean for the Zika-related knowledge score was 5.9 (SD ± 4.4) out of a possible score of 14. The majority perceived little or no risk of getting ZVD (75.0%) and 75.5% were a little or not at all worried about ZVD. A high proportion reported the use of insect sprays or mosquito coils to prevent mosquito bites; however, a relatively lower proportion of people reported fixing mosquito netting on doors and windows, and using mosquito bed nets. The mean for the mosquito prevention practices score was 11.9 (SD ± 4.7) out of a possible score of 27. Important factors influencing mosquito prevention practices include household income, environment factors, risk perception, and Zika-related knowledge.
Conclusion:
Zika prevention measures should be targeted in priority toward residents in lower socioeconomic neighborhoods. Campaigns should focus on messages highlighting the high risk of getting dengue.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.