Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30139370›Full record

ArticleMalaria journal2018

Evaluating a 24-h mobile reporting system for malaria notifications in comparison with a paper-based system in South Africa, 2015.

Ramokone Ednah Baloyi, Mbavhalelo Bridget Shandukani, Rebecca Graffy, Eunice Misiani, Natalie Mayet, Eric Mabunda, Aaron Mabuza, Bheki Qwabe, Bongani Ngwenyama, Carl Reddy and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Malaria journal, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
3.3field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
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

8 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

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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

11 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Ramokone Ednah BaloyiSouth African Field Epidemiology Training Program, 1 Modderfontein Road, Sandringham, Johannesburg, South Africa. RamokoneBaloyi@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6635-0562
Mbavhalelo Bridget ShandukaniNational Department of Health, Civitas Building, 222 Thabo Sehume Street, Pretoria, Gauteng, 0001, South Africa.
Rebecca GraffyClinton Health Access Initiative, 31166 Francis Baard, Block b, 1st Floor, Hatfield, Pretoria, Gauteng, 0001, South Africa.
Eunice MisianiNational Institute for Communicable Diseases, 1 Modderfontein Road, Sandringham, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Natalie MayetNational Institute for Communicable Diseases, 1 Modderfontein Road, Sandringham, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Eric MabundaLimpopo Government Department of Health, 618 College Street, Polokwane, Limpopo, 0700, South Africa.
Aaron MabuzaMpumalanga Government Department of Health, Building No.7, Government Boulevard, Riverside Park, Extension 2, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, 1200, South Africa.
Bheki QwabeKwaZulu-Natal Government Department of Health, Natalia Langalibalele (Longmarket) Street, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 3201, South Africa.
Bongani NgwenyamaNational Institute for Communicable Diseases, 1 Modderfontein Road, Sandringham, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Carl ReddySouth African Field Epidemiology Training Program, 1 Modderfontein Road, Sandringham, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Devanand MoonasarNational Department of Health, Civitas Building, 222 Thabo Sehume Street, Pretoria, Gauteng, 0001, South Africa.
Department of Health · ZANational Institute for Communicable DiseasesNational Health Laboratory Service · ZAUniversity of Limpopo · ZAUniversity of Mpumalanga · ZA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAs South Africa strives to achieve malaria elimination by 2018 (zero local cases) the country needs to strengthen its disease surveillance system by reducing the timeliness from case diagnosis to notification of key stakeholders in the malaria programme. This study evaluated the feasibility of a 24-h mobile reporting system, designed for speeding up malaria notifications, from primary healthcare facilities to district, provincial, and national malaria programmes in South Africa.

methodsA prospective descriptive study utilizing primary data collected from structured interviews with healthcare workers in public healthcare facilities was used to compare two reporting systems (24-h mobile reporting system and the paper-based reporting system) in malaria endemic provinces (Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal). Data on completeness of reporting, simplicity, user acceptability and technical limitations were analysed. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the time difference between the two reporting systems.

resultsThere were 1819 cases of malaria reported through the paper-based system, and 63.2% (1149) of those cases were also reported through the 24-h mobile reporting system. Out of the 272 healthcare workers who were interviewed, 40% (108) had seen malaria patients and reported a case through the 24-h mobile reporting system. The median time for cases to be reported through the 24-h mobile reporting system was significantly shorter at < 1 day (range < 1 to 31 days) compared to the paper-based system at 3 days (range 2 to > 39 days) (p < 0.001). It was found that 26% (28) were able to use the system and send reports within 2 min, 94% (256) were willing to continue to use the system. Of the 108 healthcare workers who reported a case, 18.5% (20) experienced network challenges.

conclusionsThe 24-h mobile reporting system is user friendly and trained healthcare workers are willing to use the system, despite network limitations. The 24-h mobile reporting system reduces the time required for diagnosed cases to be notified by the health care facility to district, provincial and national levels. The 24-h mobile reporting system is a feasible option for malaria notification in South Africa and will assist with early detection of malaria outbreaks.

Indexed as

Ambulatory Care FacilitiesDisease NotificationHealth PersonnelHumansMalariaPopulation SurveillanceProspective StudiesSouth AfricaDisease surveillance strengtheningFeasibility of 24-h mobile reportingMalaria eliminationTimeliness of data input

Identifiers

PMID30139370
PMCPMC6107938
OpenAlexW2888730618

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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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.