TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2013//
TI  - Mobile phone-based syndromic surveillance system, Papua New Guinea
JO  - Emerging infectious diseases
A1  - Rosewell, Alexander
A1  - Ropa, Berry
A1  - Randall, Heather
A1  - Dagina, Rosheila
A1  - Hurim, Samuel
A1  - Bieb, Sibauk
A1  - Datta, Siddhartha
A1  - Ramamurthy, Sundar
A1  - Mola, Glen
A1  - Zwi, Anthony B.
A1  - Ray, Pradeep
A1  - MacIntyre, C. Raina
SP  - 1811
EP  - 1818
VL  - 19
IS  - 11
N2  - The health care system in Papua New Guinea is fragile, and surveillance systems infrequently meet international standards. To strengthen outbreak identification, health authorities piloted a mobile phone-based syndromic surveillance system and used established frameworks to evaluate whether the system was meeting objectives. Stakeholder experience was investigated by using standardized questionnaires and focus groups. Nine sites reported data that included 7 outbreaks and 92 cases of acute watery diarrhea. The new system was more timely (2.4 vs. 84 days), complete (70% vs. 40%), and sensitive (95% vs. 26%) than existing systems. The system was simple, stable, useful, and acceptable; however, feedback and subnational involvement were weak. A simple syndromic surveillance system implemented in a fragile state enabled more timely, complete, and sensitive data reporting for disease risk assessment. Feedback and provincial involvement require improvement. Use of mobile phone technology might improve the timeliness and efficiency of public health surveillance.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1080-6040
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1911.121843
ID  - ref1
ER  -