Mapping the role of digital health technologies in the case detection, management, and treatment outcomes of neglected tropical diseases: a scoping review

Abstract

Background Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of communicable diseases that principally impact the world’s poorest people. The use of digital health technologies is an emerging and promising way to improve disease prevention, diagnosis, case detection, treatment delivery, and patient follow-up and facilitating health facility appointments thereby improving health outcomes. While the growing implementation of digital health technologies is evident, there is a lack of comprehensive evidence on the impact of digital health technologies in the control of NTDs. The main objective of this review was to map different pieces of evidence on the use of digital health technologies for case detection, management, and treatment outcome of the neglected tropical diseases. Methods We conducted a scoping review guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. The studies were searched using electronic databases like MEDLINE (PubMed), Science Direct, Cochrane Library, and manual searching engines. Two authors extracted the data and compared the results. Discrepancies were resolved by discussion or the third reviewer made the decision. We produced the distribution of geographical locations, residents (setting), types of publications, and digital health technologies used on neglected tropical diseases using tables and graphs. Findings A total of 996 potentially relevant studies were generated from the initial search, and six studies were found to satisfy all the inclusion criteria and included in the final review. The review found that telehealth, eHealth, mHealth, telemedicine, and electronic health record were used digital health technologies to assess their impact on case detection, disease management, and treatment outcome of neglected tropical diseases. Mobile health was a feasible digital health technology for lymphatic filariasis patient identification and mHealth, eHealth, and electronic health records found to improve the service access, outcomes, and monitoring of visceral leishmaniasis at the community health system. Conclusion The scoping review identified that there were limited studies to see the impact of digital health technologies on case detection, management, and treatment outcomes for neglected tropical diseases. We also found that digital health technologies like ehealth, electronic medical linkage, telemed, and telehealth were practicable for patient identification, for treatment and diagnosis through contact with health professionals and teleconsultation, and support in improving health service delivery at the community-health system for managing the disease in both rural and urban settings.

Community perceptions and acceptability of mass drug administration for the control of neglected tropical diseases in Asia-Pacific countries: A systematic scoping review of qualitative research

“…Second, only three published papers examined NTDs (on lymphatic filariasis and scabies) in the Pacific, creating a dearth of qualitative evidence from which to guide implementation of effective NTD control programs in the Pacific region more specifically. Our analysis contributes to the growing body of NTD-related systematic, rapid and scoping reviews with a focus on, for example, social stigma [60]; treatment adherence [61,62]; community understandings of mass drug administration for specific NTDs [63]; the role of nurses, community health workers and community drug distributors in responses to NTDs [64] [65,66]; and innovation in responses to tackling NTDs [67][68][69][70][71][72].…”

Burden of neglected tropical diseases and access to medicine and diagnostics in Ethiopia: A scoping review

“…We identi ed 31 articles that report the burden of prioritized NTDs in Ethiopia (3, 9, 26-35, 11, 36-45, 19, 46, 20-25). Most were systematic reviews and metaanalyses on trachoma (19), leishmaniasis (20)(21)(22)(23)(24), soil transmitted helminthiasis (STH) (25)(26)(27)(28)(29), schistosomiasis (29)(30)(31)(32), scabies (33); LF and podoconiosis (34)(35)(36)(37), review on onchocerciasis (39), and historical review of NTDs in Ethiopia (1941-2019) (38). Trachoma, podoconiosis and leishmaniasis are three common NTDs in Ethiopia (3,11).…”

“…Podoconiosis and trachoma are also common in Ethiopia, mainly in Amhara, Oromia and Southern Nation, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) regions (44). NTD distributions at country level have been mapped, and endemic areas identi ed and prioritized (35,45,46).…”

Assessment of the Chad guinea worm surveillance information system: A pivotal foundation for eradication

“…Previous works comparing electronic data collection to paper-based data collection for NTDs have shown that data collected through electronic sources were less expensive, more efficient, and produced higher quality data with fewer errors [10,11]. However, there are few studies describing digital health technologies in surveillance, management, and treatment of NTDSs [12]. Although some studies reported on enhancements of the surveillance and management of NTDs, they were limited to the description of specific tools used for those processes [12][13][14].…”

“…However, there are few studies describing digital health technologies in surveillance, management, and treatment of NTDSs [12]. Although some studies reported on enhancements of the surveillance and management of NTDs, they were limited to the description of specific tools used for those processes [12][13][14].…”