Gesundheitswesen 2017; 79(08/09): 656-804
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1605993
Poster
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Acceptance of self-reporting technologies and self-sampling of biospecimen in infectious disease epidemiology: a survey in Lower Saxony

S Glöckner
4   German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Braunschweig
,
F Schäfer
1   Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Epidemiology, Braunschweig
,
N Rübsamen
1   Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Epidemiology, Braunschweig
,
G Krause
1   Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Epidemiology, Braunschweig
2   Twincore, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infections Research, Hanover
3   Hanover Medical School (MHH), Hanover
,
S Castell
1   Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Epidemiology, Braunschweig
2   Twincore, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infections Research, Hanover
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
01 September 2017 (online)

Also available at
 

Introduction:

Prospective investigations of human-to-human transmission (HHT) or risk factors for common acute infectious diseases are challenged by their transient nature. mHealth approaches have the potential to facilitate timely capture and microbiological validation of acute infections. Such technologies can also enable location tracking. We investigated the acceptability of mHealth tools to build the basis for the design of future studies.

Method:

In July 2014, we conducted a survey in two districts of Lower Saxony using the longitudinal panel HaBIDS (Hygiene and Behaviour Infectious Diseases Survey). We invited 691 HaBIDS online participants to fill in a questionnaire of whom 430 responded. We present results on willingness i) to report on cough and diarrhoea depending on time expenditure, reporting method, self-sampling of biological specimen and ii) to allow location tracking in transmission studies.

Results:

Seventy percent (293/419) of respondents stated that they would report their symptoms monthly, while 16% (65/418) would report them daily over a period of 2 years; 43% (159/372) would like to use a dedicated mobile device (usable only for study purposes), 30% (111/369) would use their own smartphone via a study app and 28% (105/376) would like to use paper-based response forms. Also 81% (341/421) would be willing to self-sample nasal swabs when having a cold and 64% (271/421) to take a stool sample when having diarrhoea. Blood self-sampling using dried blood spots would be supported by 49% (194/398). Location tracking would be acceptable to 74% (309/417).

Conclusions:

Self-sampling is acceptable to a majority of our study population. The use of paper-based forms for symptom monitoring is still of interest to a substantial proportion of our panel users. Overall, we can expect challenges regarding acceptability of mHealth tools in potential population-based prospective studies on HHT of infectious pathogens or studies with continous symptom monitoring.