Early Detection of Dengue Fever Outbreaks Using a Surveillance App (Mozzify): Cross-sectional Mixed Methods Usability Study

• Published in: JMIR public health and surveillance 2021-03, Vol.7 (3), p.e19034
• Main Authors: Herbuela, Von Ralph Dane Marquez, Karita, Tomonori, Carvajal, Thaddeus Marzo, Ho, Howell Tsai, Lorena, John Michael Olea, Regalado, Rachele Arce, Sobrepeña, Girly Dirilo, Watanabe, Kozo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavior modification; Cellular telephones; Dengue fever; Disease prevention; Epidemics; Health care; Health promotion; Health surveillance; Methods; Mixed methods research; Mosquitoes; Original Paper; Outbreaks; Public health; Rural areas; Social networks; Social research; Socioeconomics; Software; Statistical analysis; Usability; Vector-borne diseases; Young adults
• ISSN: 2369-2960; 2369-2960
• DOI: 10.2196/19034

While early detection and effective control of epidemics depend on appropriate surveillance methods, the Philippines bases its dengue fever surveillance system on a passive surveillance method (notifications from barangay/village health centers, municipal or city health offices, hospitals, and clinics). There is no available mHealth (mobile health) app for dengue fever that includes all the appropriate surveillance methods in early detection of disease outbreaks in the country. This study aimed to evaluate the usability of the Mozzify app in terms of objective quality (engagement, functionality, aesthetics, information) and app subjective and app-specific qualities and compare total app mean score ratings by sociodemographic profile and self and family dengue fever history to see what factors are associated with high app mean score rating among school-based young adult samples and health care professionals. Individual interviews and focus group discussions were also conducted among participants to develop themes from their comments and suggestions to help structure further improvement and future development of the app. User experience sessions were conducted among participants, and the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) professional and user versions (uMARS) were administered followed by individual interviews and focus group discussions. Descriptive statistical analysis of the MARS and uMARS score ratings was performed. The total app mean score ratings by sociodemographic and dengue fever history using nonparametric mean difference analyses were also conducted. Thematic synthesis was used to develop themes from the comments and suggestions raised in individual interviews and focus group discussions. Mozzify obtained an overall >4 (out of 5) mean score ratings in the MARS and uMARS app objective quality (4.45), subjective (4.17), and specific (4.55) scales among 948 participants (79 health care professionals and 869 school-based samples). Mean difference analyses revealed that total app mean score ratings were not significantly different across ages and gender among health care professionals and across age, income categories, and self and family dengue fever history but not gender (P