CDC researchers have developed new tools using GPS technology and PDAs to help prevent the spread of malaria in developing countries, according to a paper published in the August issue of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, InformationWeek reports.
Researchers used the devices to collect data on bed nets treated with insecticides in homes in Togo and Niger.
The researchers used sampling software for Windows Mobile devices to compile complete lists of households in the area and employed GPS systems to locate homes and interview a random sample of people.
Jodi Vanden Eng, co-author of the study, said, "Before we developed this method using these devices, it usually took days, or even weeks to complete the same task" that the researchers now can accomplish in one day.
The researchers could power the PDAs with a car battery, "making them an excellent alternative to use where bringing a laptop would be impossible," according to Vanden Eng.
The PDAs included electronic questionnaires with built-in data checks to reduce human error, according to the researchers. The technology allows data aggregation, verification and identification of input errors within minutes.
Researchers also used PDAs to evaluate the impact of distributing no-cost insecticide-treated bed nets through childhood immunization campaigns. The authors were able to transmit data to the Ministry of Health, program managers, international scientists and policy makers within hours of collecting the information.
Researchers said they believe the new tools could be useful in many public health scenarios, including disaster response and efforts to provide aid to underserved geographic areas.
Other scientists are being offered the GPS software. CDC, meanwhile, is studying other public health uses for the PDA technology, such as tracking bar-coded lab specimens from the field or using smart phone technology to transfer field data immediately.
Chinese officials are currently testing similar technology for tracking bird flu (Jones, InformationWeek, 9/11).