Abstract
Using mobile devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), smartphones, tablet computers, etc., to electronically collect malaria-related field data is the way for the field questionnaires in the future. This case study seeks to design a generic survey framework PDA-based geo-tagged malaria-related data collection tool (PGMS) that can be used not only for large-scale community-level geo-tagged electronic malaria-related surveys, but also for a wide variety of electronic data collections of other infectious diseases. The framework includes two parts: the database designed for subsequent cross-sectional data analysis and the customized programs for the six study sites (two in Kenya, three in Indonesia, and one in Tanzania). In addition to the framework development, we also present our methods used when configuring and deploying the PDAs to 1) reduce data entry errors, 2) conserve battery power, 3) field install the programs onto dozens of handheld devices, 4) translate electronic questionnaires into local languages, 5) prevent data loss, and 6) transfer data from PDAs to computers for future analysis and storage. Since 2008, PGMS has successfully accomplished quite a few surveys that recorded 10,871 compounds and households, 52,126 persons, and 17,100 bed nets from the six sites. These numbers are still growing.
Highlights
The Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) Basic Documentation for Survey Design and Implementation was developed by the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Monitoring and Evaluation Reference Group (MERG) Household Survey Task Force.[1]
The data collected by PGMS in collaboration with other entomological, parasitological, serological data will be used for the assessment of malaria epidemiology in a wide range of malaria transmission level sites, for the monitoring and evaluation of malaria control strategies, and for the development and calibration of malaria epidemiological models
Ten thousand eight hundred and seventy-one (10,871) compounds and households, 52,126 persons, and 17,100 bed nets at the six study sites across African and Asian continents have been recorded by means of PGMS since 2008
Summary
The Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) Basic Documentation for Survey Design and Implementation was developed by the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Monitoring and Evaluation Reference Group (MERG) Household Survey Task Force.[1] This documentation is comprehensive, including a set of guidelines, questionnaires, tabulations, and relevant manuals to guide how large-scale household-level surveys should be conducted. The malaria-related questionnaires on which the personal digital assistant (PDA)-based Geo-tagged malariarelated data collection tool (PGMS) is tailored from the previous package and implemented by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation sponsored Malaria Transmission Consortium (MTC)[2] for its six study sites, including the highlands and lowlands of Kenya, three low-to-moderate-tohigh level transmission areas of Purworejo, Lampung, and Halmahera in Indonesia, and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. Unlike the MIS, the questionnaires are not national and were only conducted on the six study sites
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
