The use of m-Health active participant centred (MAPC) systems to improve surveillance of adverse events following Immunization (AEFIs) in Zimbabwe
type: CreativeWork
description: Introduction A robust national AEFI surveillance system ensures timely AEFI detection, good quality AEFI reports, prompt case investigation and robust causality assessment for corrective AEFI case management, signal detection and appropriate feedback ultimately to improve public safety and trust in vaccines and the immunization programme. Each AEFI surveillance method has advantages and disadvantages. This thesis aimed to develop an evidence-based and empirical foundation to guide recommendations for the use of mHealth for active vaccine safety surveillance (AVSS) in Zimbabwe to strengthen its passive (spontaneous) AEFI surveillance system. The primary hypothesis of the thesis is that an mHealth application system that supports AEFI detection and reporting is a feasible approach to supporting active AEFI surveillance in Zimbabwe. Method I used mixed methods comprising a scoping and narrative literature review, a descriptive evaluation of Zimbabwe's AEFI system, a randomised control trial (RCT) to assess the impact of the Zimbabwe stimulated telephone assisted rapid safety surveillance (Zm-STARSS) approach, and a consumer and healthcare professional (HCP) survey to assess their experience and the acceptability of Zm-STARSS. Results The scoping and narrative review revealed that most MAPC AEFI surveillance studies (92%, 24/26) were conducted in High Income Countries(HICs) and only two in Low Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). The mean response rate to (Short Message Services)SMS prompts was 71% among 23 studies. Out of 1440 assessed Zimbabwean AEFI reports 54.2% were non-serious, 29.7% non-serious but deemed medically important, 6.6% causing prolonged hospitalizations and 8.1% fatal. In the Zm-STARSS RCT, despite a relatively low (31%, n = 704) response rate, we demonstrated that the SMS group had a 2% AEFI detection rate compared to 0% in the passive control arm. Of the 31 HCPs and 96 consumers who responded, 96% and 71%, respectively, supported the use of Zm-STARSS fo…
abstract: Introduction A robust national AEFI surveillance system ensures timely AEFI detection, good quality AEFI reports, prompt case investigation and robust causality assessment for corrective AEFI case management, signal detection and appropriate feedback ultimately to improve public safety and trust in vaccines and the immunization programme. Each AEFI surveillance method has advantages and disadvantages. This thesis aimed to develop an evidence-based and empirical foundation to guide recommendations for the use of mHealth for active vaccine safety surveillance (AVSS) in Zimbabwe to strengthen its passive (spontaneous) AEFI surveillance system. The primary hypothesis of the thesis is that an mHealth application system that supports AEFI detection and reporting is a feasible approach to supporting active AEFI surveillance in Zimbabwe. Method I used mixed methods comprising a scoping and narrative literature review, a descriptive evaluation of Zimbabwe's AEFI system, a randomised control trial (RCT) to assess the impact of the Zimbabwe stimulated telephone assisted rapid safety surveillance (Zm-STARSS) approach, and a consumer and healthcare professional (HCP) survey to assess their experience and the acceptability of Zm-STARSS. Results The scoping and narrative review revealed that most MAPC AEFI surveillance studies (92%, 24/26) were conducted in High Income Countries(HICs) and only two in Low Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). The mean response rate to (Short Message Services)SMS prompts was 71% among 23 studies. Out of 1440 assessed Zimbabwean AEFI reports 54.2% were non-serious, 29.7% non-serious but deemed medically important, 6.6% causing prolonged hospitalizations and 8.1% fatal. In the Zm-STARSS RCT, despite a relatively low (31%, n = 704) response rate, we demonstrated that the SMS group had a 2% AEFI detection rate compared to 0% in the passive control arm. Of the 31 HCPs and 96 consumers who responded, 96% and 71%, respectively, supported the use of Zm-STARSS fo…
author: Nyambayo, Priscilla Patricia Munyaradzi
language: en
keywords: adverse events following immunizations (AEFI), adverse events of special interest (AESI), mobile-health (mHealth), mHealth for active participant centred (MAPC) AEFI surveillance, Short Message Services (SMS), Zimbabwe stimulated telephone assisted rapid safety surveillance (Zm-STARSS) study, vaccine vigilance
date published: 2024
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:23:45Z
provider: University of Cape Town
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Department of Public Health and Family Medicine

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41196