Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29298314›Full record

ArticlePloS one2018

Improving mapping for Ebola response through mobilising a local community with self-owned smartphones: Tonkolili District, Sierra Leone, January 2015.

Laura M Nic Lochlainn, Ivan Gayton, Georgios Theocharopoulos, Robin Edwards, Kostas Danis, Ronald Kremer, Karline Kleijer, Sumaila M Tejan, Mohamed Sankoh, Augustin Jimissa and 2 more

Abstract readValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Spatial drivers of COVID-19 vulnerability in Nigeria.The Pan African medical journal · 2021
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Laura M Nic LochlainnEuropean Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-8095-9892
Ivan GaytonManson Unit, Médecins Sans Frontières, London, United Kingdom.
Georgios TheocharopoulosEuropean Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden.
Robin EdwardsManson Unit, Médecins Sans Frontières, London, United Kingdom.
Kostas DanisEuropean Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden.
Ronald KremerOperational Centre Amsterdam, Médecins Sans Frontières, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Karline KleijerOperational Centre Amsterdam, Médecins Sans Frontières, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Sumaila M TejanTonkolili District Health Management Team, Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Magburaka, Sierra Leone.
Mohamed SankohTonkolili District Health Management Team, Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Magburaka, Sierra Leone.
Augustin JimissaTonkolili District Health Management Team, Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Magburaka, Sierra Leone.
Jane GreigManson Unit, Médecins Sans Frontières, London, United Kingdom.
Grazia CaleoManson Unit, Médecins Sans Frontières, London, United Kingdom.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDuring the 2014-16 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, the Magburaka Ebola Management Centre (EMC) operated by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Tonkolili District, Sierra Leone, identified that available district maps lacked up-to-date village information to facilitate timely implementation of EVD control strategies. In January 2015, we undertook a survey in chiefdoms within the MSF EMC catchment area to collect mapping and village data. We explore the feasibility and cost to mobilise a local community for this survey, describe validation against existing mapping sources and use of the data to prioritise areas for interventions, and lessons learned.

methodsWe recruited local people with self-owned Android smartphones installed with open-source survey software (OpenDataKit (ODK)) and open-source navigation software (OpenStreetMap Automated Navigation Directions (OsmAnd)). Surveyors were paired with local motorbike drivers to travel to eligible villages. The collected mapping data were validated by checking for duplication and comparing the village names against a pre-existing village name and location list using a geographic distance and text string-matching algorithm.

resultsThe survey teams gained sufficient familiarity with the ODK and OsmAnd software within 1-2 hours. Nine chiefdoms in Tonkolili District and three in Bombali District were surveyed within two weeks. Following de-duplication, the surveyors collected data from 891 villages with an estimated 127,021 households. The overall survey cost was €3,395; €3.80 per village surveyed. The MSF GIS team (MSF-OCG) created improved maps for the MSF Magburaka EMC team which were used to support surveillance, investigation of suspect EVD cases, hygiene-kit distribution and EVD survivor support. We shared the mapping data with OpenStreetMap, the local Ministry of Health and Sanitation and Sierra Leone District and National Ebola Response Centres.

conclusionsInvolving local community and using accessible technology allowed rapid implementation, at moderate cost, of a survey to collect geographic and essential village information, and creation of updated maps. These methods could be used for future emergencies to facilitate response.

Indexed as

Disease OutbreaksSmartphoneHemorrhagic Fever, EbolaHumansOwnershipSierra Leone

Identifiers

PMID29298314
PMCPMC5752033

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.