scholarly journals Participatory Surveillance of COVID-19 in Lesotho via Weekly Calls: Protocol for Cell Phone Data Collection (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail R Greenleaf ◽  
Gerald Mwima ◽  
Molibeli Lethoko ◽  
Martha Conkling ◽  
George Keefer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Surveillance System ◽  
Cell Phone ◽  
Diarrheal Disease ◽  
Cell Phones ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Noncommunicable Diseases ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Participatory Surveillance

BACKGROUND The increase in cell phone ownership in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) has created an opportunity for low-cost, rapid data collection by calling participants on their cell phones. Cell phones can be mobilized for a myriad of data collection purposes, including surveillance. In LMIC, cell phone–based surveillance has been used to track Ebola, measles, acute flaccid paralysis, and diarrheal disease, as well as noncommunicable diseases. Phone-based surveillance in LMIC is a particularly pertinent, burgeoning approach in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participatory surveillance via cell phone could allow governments to assess burden of disease and complements existing surveillance systems. OBJECTIVE We describe the protocol for the LeCellPHIA (Lesotho Cell Phone PHIA) project, a cell phone surveillance system that collects weekly population-based data on influenza-like illness (ILI) in Lesotho by calling a representative sample of a recent face-to-face survey. METHODS We established a phone-based surveillance system to collect ILI symptoms from approximately 1700 participants who had participated in a recent face-to-face survey in Lesotho, the Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (PHIA) Survey. Of the 15,267 PHIA participants who were over 18 years old, 11,975 (78.44%) consented to future research and provided a valid phone number. We followed the PHIA sample design and included 342 primary sampling units from 10 districts. We randomly selected 5 households from each primary sampling unit that had an eligible participant and sampled 1 person per household. We oversampled the elderly, as they are more likely to be affected by COVID-19. A 3-day Zoom training was conducted in June 2020 to train LeCellPHIA interviewers. RESULTS The surveillance system launched July 1, 2020, beginning with a 2-week enrollment period followed by weekly calls that will continue until September 30, 2022. Of the 11,975 phone numbers that were in the sample frame, 3020 were sampled, and 1778 were enrolled. CONCLUSIONS The surveillance system will track COVID-19 in a resource-limited setting. The novel approach of a weekly cell phone–based surveillance system can be used to track other health outcomes, and this protocol provides information about how to implement such a system. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/31236

Quantifying the Size of the Contraband Cell Phone Problem: Insights From a Large Rural State Penitentiary

2018 ◽  
Vol 98 (5) ◽  
pp. 630-648
Author(s):  
Eric Grommon ◽  
Jeremy Carter ◽  
Charles Scheer
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Cell Phone ◽  
Cell Phones ◽  
Correctional Facilities ◽  
Market Dynamics ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Rural State ◽  
Data Collection Effort

Cell phones are one of the most challenging forms of contraband for correctional facilities. The size of this problem is difficult to quantify. Confiscation data are only able to tell a partial story. Through the use of a unique data collection effort, this research details the number of contraband cell phones within a facility and offers the first attempt to estimate the gap that exists between the number of contraband cell phones available and the number that are confiscated. In light of the findings, implications for policy and an agenda for research on contraband cell phone market dynamics are provided.

Cell Phone and Face-to-face Interview Responses in Population-based Surveys

Field Methods ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziyad Mahfoud ◽  
Lilian Ghandour ◽  
Blanche Ghandour ◽  
Ali H. Mokdad ◽  
Abla M. Sibai
Keyword(s):  
Cell Phone ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Face To Face

scholarly journals High added value of a population-based participatory surveillance system for community acute gastrointestinal, respiratory and influenza-like illnesses in Sweden, 2013–2014 using the web

2017 ◽  
Vol 145 (6) ◽  
pp. 1193-1202 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. PINI ◽  
H. MERK ◽  
A. CARNAHAN ◽  
I. GALANIS ◽  
E. VAN STRATEN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surveillance System ◽  
Syndromic Surveillance ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Health Agency ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Medical Advice ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Participatory Surveillance ◽  
The Web

SUMMARYIn 2013–2014, the Public Health Agency of Sweden developed a web-based participatory surveillance system, Hӓlsorapport, based on a random sample of individuals reporting symptoms weekly online, to estimate the community incidence of self-reported acute gastrointestinal (AGI), acute respiratory (ARI) and influenza-like (ILI) illnesses and their severity. We evaluated Hӓlsorapport's acceptability, completeness, representativeness and its data correlation with other surveillance data. We calculated response proportions and Spearman correlation coefficients (r) between (i) incidence of illnesses in Hӓlsorapport and (ii) proportions of specific search terms to medical-advice website and reasons for calling a medical advice hotline. Of 34 748 invitees, 3245 (9·3%) joined the cohort. Participants answered 81% (139 013) of the weekly questionnaires and 90% (16 351) of follow-up questionnaires. AGI incidence correlated with searches on winter-vomiting disease [r = 0·81, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·69–0·89], and ARI incidence correlated with searches on cough (r = 0·77, 95% CI 0·62–0·86). ILI incidence correlated with the web query-based estimated incidence of ILI patients consulting physicians (r = 0·63, 95% CI 0·42–0·77). The high response to different questionnaires and the correlation with other syndromic surveillance systems suggest that Hӓlsorapport offers a reasonable representation of AGI, ARI and ILI patterns in the community and can complement traditional and syndromic surveillance systems to estimate their burden in the community.

scholarly journals Participatory surveillance of COVID-19 in Lesotho via weekly calls: Protocol for cell phone data collection (Preprint)

10.2196/31236 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail Greenleaf ◽  
Gerald Mwima ◽  
Molibeli Lethoko ◽  
Martha Conkling ◽  
George Keefer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Cell Phone ◽  
Participatory Surveillance

Designing and Developing Cell Phone Applications for Qualitative Research

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 757-767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaewoo Do ◽  
Lisa C. Yamagata-Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Web Application ◽  
Cell Phone ◽  
Cell Phones ◽  
Digital Tools ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Technological Developments ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Observation Tools

Recent technological developments have made it feasible for qualitative researchers to develop their own digital tools. As an example, the goal of this article is to explore the design process involved in developing cell phone applications for qualitative research. Cell phones, ubiquitous in our daily lives, can serve researchers in many ways. Cell phones can be used for recording conversations during interviews and taking pictures during observations. We will introduce two cell phone applications—Interview and Observation Tools—developed by the first author in response to data collection and analysis tasks carried out in discussion with the second author, his dissertation advisor. We will also introduce App Inventor, which is an open-source web application for the android operating system that the first author used to program and develop both applications. We will discuss why and how we included specific features based on the first author’s reflections. This work will provide qualitative researchers with practical tips for developing their own digital tools and generate ideas for future research by introducing the methodological problems the first author encountered and how he addressed them in the design and development processes of his cell phone applications.

scholarly journals The Effects of Cell Phone Radiation on the Human Body: An Overview

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 166-169
Author(s):  
Jai Om
Keyword(s):  
Human Body ◽  
Cell Phone ◽  
Cell Phones ◽  
Conclusive Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Recent Past ◽  
Research Article ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The World ◽  
Cell Phone Radiation

In this research article, an overview is provided of all the plausible effects that cell phone radiation might have on a human body. The number of cell of regular cell phone users has exploded around the world, and cell phones have become an integral part of our lives in the recent past. Therefore, this paper strives to answers public questions regarding the safety of using cell phones. It analyses previous research that has been done in the field to provide concise answers. The article also supports the motion that cell phones can be harmful in the long run; however, there is no conclusive evidence. The future research should be made more streamlined, and focus on human body systems.

Interviewer–respondent Interactions in Conversational and Standardized Interviewing

Field Methods ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felicitas Mittereder ◽  
Jen Durow ◽  
Brady T. West ◽  
Frauke Kreuter ◽  
Frederick G. Conrad
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Response Accuracy ◽  
Main Study ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Administration Time ◽  
The Face

Standardized interviewing (SI) and conversational interviewing are two approaches to collect survey data that differ in how interviewers address respondent confusion. This article examines interviewer–respondent interactions that occur during these two techniques, focusing on requests for and provisions of clarification. The data derive from an experimental study in Germany, where the face-to-face interviews were audio-recorded. A sample of 111 interviews was coded in detail. We find that conversational interviewers do make use of the ability to clarify respondent confusion. Although the technique improved response accuracy in the main study compared to SI, conversational interviewers seem to provide clarifications even when there is no evidence of respondent confusion. This may lengthen administration time and potentially increase data collection costs. Conversational interviewers also employ neutral probes, which are generally associated with standardized interviews, at an unexpectedly high rate. We conclude with suggestions for practice and directions for future research.

scholarly journals Panel Survey Recruitment with or Without Interviewers? Implications for Nonresponse, Panel Consent, and Total Recruitment Bias

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 540-565
Author(s):  
Joseph W Sakshaug ◽  
Sebastian Hülle ◽  
Alexandra Schmucker ◽  
Stefan Liebig
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Panel Survey ◽  
Panel Surveys ◽  
Full Sample ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Administrative Record ◽  
Recruitment Bias ◽  
Multi Mode

AbstractPanel surveys are increasingly experimenting with the use of self-administered modes of data collection as alternatives to more expensive interviewer-administered modes. As data collection costs continue to rise, it is plausible that future panel surveys will forego interviewer administration entirely. We examine the implications of this scenario for recruitment bias in the first wave of a panel survey of employees in Germany. Using an experimental multi-mode design and detailed administrative record data available for the full sample, we investigate the magnitude of two sources of panel recruitment bias: nonresponse and panel consent (i.e., consent to follow-up interview). Across 29 administrative estimates, we find relative measures of aggregate nonresponse bias to be comparable between face-to-face and self-administered (mail/Web) recruitment modes, on average. Furthermore, we find the magnitude of panel consent bias to be more severe in self-administered surveys, but that implementing follow-up conversion procedures with the non-consenters diminishes panel consent bias to near-negligible levels. Lastly, we find the total recruitment bias (nonresponse and panel consent) to be similar in both mode groups—a reassuring result that is facilitated by the panel consent follow-up procedures. Implications of these findings for survey practice and suggestions for future research are provided in conclusion.

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