TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of the Development, Implementation, Maintenance, and Impact of 3 Digital Surveillance Tools Deployed in Malawi During the COVID-19 Pandemic
T2 - Protocol for a Modified Delphi Expert Consensus Study
AU - Denny, Alanna
AU - Ndemera, Isaach
AU - Chirwa, Kingston
AU - Wu, Joseph Tsung Shu
AU - Chirambo, Griphin Baxter
AU - Yosefe, Simeon
AU - Chilima, Ben
AU - Kagoli, Matthew
AU - Lee, Hsin Yi
AU - Yu, Kwong Leung Joseph
AU - O'Donoghue, John
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
©Alanna Denny, Isaach Ndemera, Kingston Chirwa, Joseph Tsung Shu Wu, Griphin Baxter Chirambo, Simeon Yosefe, Ben Chilima, Matthew Kagoli, Hsin-yi Lee, Kwong Leung Joseph Yu, John O'Donoghue.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of strengthening national monitoring systems to safeguard a globally connected society, especially those in low- and middle-income countries. Africa’s rapid adoption of digital technological interventions created a new frontier of digital advancement during crises or pandemics. The use of digital tools for disease surveillance can assist with rapid outbreak identification and response, handling duties such as diagnosis, testing, contact tracing, and risk communication. Malawi was one of the first countries in the region to launch a government-led coordinated effort to harmonize and streamline the necessary COVID-19 digital health implementation through an integrated system architecture. Objective: The aim of this study is to seek expert consensus using the Delphi methodology to examine Malawi’s COVID-19 digital surveillance response strategy and to assess the digital tools using the World Health Organization mHealth (mobile health) Assessment and Planning for Scale (MAPS) toolkit. Methods: This protocol follows the Guidance on Conducting and REporting DElphi Studies. Participants must have first-hand experience on the design, implementation or maintenance with COVID-19 digital surveillance systems. There will be no restrictions on the level of expertise or years of experience. The panel will consist of approximately 40 participants. We will use a modified Delphi process whereby rounds 1 and 2 will be hosted online by Qualtrics and round 3 will encompass a face-to-face workshop held in Malawi. Consensus will be defined as ≥70% of participants strongly disagree, disagree, or somewhat disagree, or strongly agree, agree, or somewhat agree. During round 3, the face-to-face workshop, participants will be asked to complete, the MAPS toolkit assessment on the digital tool on which they are experts. The MAPS toolkit will enable the panel members to assess the digital tools from a sustainable perspective from six distinct, yet complementary axes: (1) groundwork, (2) partnerships, (3) financial health, (4) technology and architecture, (5) operations, and (6) monitoring and evaluation. Results: The ability of a country to collate, diagnose, monitor, and analyze data forms the cornerstone of an efficient surveillance system, allowing countries to plan and implement appropriate control actions. Malawi was one of the first countries in the African region to launch a government-led coordinated effort to harmonize and streamline the necessary COVID-19 digital health implementation through an integrated system architecture. Conclusions: We anticipate findings from this Delphi study will provide insights into how and why Malawi was successful in deploying digital surveillance systems. In addition, findings should produce recommendations and guidance for the rapid development, implementation, maintenance, and impact of digital surveillance tools during a health crisis.
AB - Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of strengthening national monitoring systems to safeguard a globally connected society, especially those in low- and middle-income countries. Africa’s rapid adoption of digital technological interventions created a new frontier of digital advancement during crises or pandemics. The use of digital tools for disease surveillance can assist with rapid outbreak identification and response, handling duties such as diagnosis, testing, contact tracing, and risk communication. Malawi was one of the first countries in the region to launch a government-led coordinated effort to harmonize and streamline the necessary COVID-19 digital health implementation through an integrated system architecture. Objective: The aim of this study is to seek expert consensus using the Delphi methodology to examine Malawi’s COVID-19 digital surveillance response strategy and to assess the digital tools using the World Health Organization mHealth (mobile health) Assessment and Planning for Scale (MAPS) toolkit. Methods: This protocol follows the Guidance on Conducting and REporting DElphi Studies. Participants must have first-hand experience on the design, implementation or maintenance with COVID-19 digital surveillance systems. There will be no restrictions on the level of expertise or years of experience. The panel will consist of approximately 40 participants. We will use a modified Delphi process whereby rounds 1 and 2 will be hosted online by Qualtrics and round 3 will encompass a face-to-face workshop held in Malawi. Consensus will be defined as ≥70% of participants strongly disagree, disagree, or somewhat disagree, or strongly agree, agree, or somewhat agree. During round 3, the face-to-face workshop, participants will be asked to complete, the MAPS toolkit assessment on the digital tool on which they are experts. The MAPS toolkit will enable the panel members to assess the digital tools from a sustainable perspective from six distinct, yet complementary axes: (1) groundwork, (2) partnerships, (3) financial health, (4) technology and architecture, (5) operations, and (6) monitoring and evaluation. Results: The ability of a country to collate, diagnose, monitor, and analyze data forms the cornerstone of an efficient surveillance system, allowing countries to plan and implement appropriate control actions. Malawi was one of the first countries in the African region to launch a government-led coordinated effort to harmonize and streamline the necessary COVID-19 digital health implementation through an integrated system architecture. Conclusions: We anticipate findings from this Delphi study will provide insights into how and why Malawi was successful in deploying digital surveillance systems. In addition, findings should produce recommendations and guidance for the rapid development, implementation, maintenance, and impact of digital surveillance tools during a health crisis.
KW - consensus
KW - COVID-19
KW - delphi
KW - delphi study
KW - descriptive statistics
KW - development
KW - digital health
KW - epidemiology
KW - expert
KW - impact
KW - implementation
KW - maintenance
KW - Malawi
KW - mHealth
KW - mobile health
KW - protocol
KW - purposive sampling
KW - surveillance
KW - survey
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85214404345&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2196/58389
DO - 10.2196/58389
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85214404345
SN - 1929-0748
VL - 13
JO - JMIR Research Protocols
JF - JMIR Research Protocols
M1 - e58389
ER -