Tropical Data: Approach and Methodology as Applied to Trachoma Prevalence Surveys
Emma M. Harding‐Esch, Clara R. Burgert‐Brucker, Cristina Jimenez, Ana Bakhtiari, Rebecca Willis, Michael Dejene Bejiga, Caleb Mpyet, Jeremiah Ngondi, Sarah Boyd, Mariamo Abdala, Amza Abdou, Yilikal Adamu, Addisu Alemayehu, Wondu Alemayehu, Tawfik Al-Khatib, Sue-Chen Apadinuwe, Naomie Awaca, Marcel S Awoussi, Gilbert Baayendag, Mouctar Dieng Badiane, Robin L. Bailey, Wilfrid Batcho, Zulficar Bay, Assumpta Lucienne Bella, Beido Nassirou, Yak Yak Bol, Clarisse Bougouma, Christopher J. Brady, Victor Bucumi, Robert Butcher, Risiate Cakacaka, Anaseini Cama, M Camara, Eunice Cassama, Shorai Grace Chaora, Amel Chenaoui Chebbi, Alvin Chisambi, Brian Chu, Abdulai Conteh, Sidi Mohamed Coulibaly, Paul Courtright, Abdi Dalmar, Tran Minh Dat, Thully Davids, Mohamed El Amine Djaker, Maria de Fátima Costa Lopes, Djore Dézoumbé, Sarity Dodson, Philip Downs, Stephanie Eckman, Bilghis Elkhair Elshafie, Mourad Elmezoghi, Ange Aba Elvis, Paul M. Emerson, Emilienne Epée, Daniel Faktaufon, Mawo Fall, Aréty Fassinou, Fiona Fleming, Rebecca M. Flueckiger, Koizan Kadjo Gamael, Mackline Garae, Jambi Garap, Katie Gass, Genet Gebru, Michael Gichangi, Emanuele Giorgi, André Goepogui, Daniela Vaz Ferreira Gómez, Diana Paola Gómez Forero, Emily W. Gower, Anna Harte, Rob Henry, Harvy Alberto Honorio-Morales, D Ilako, Amadou Alfa Bio Issifou, Ellen W. Jones, George Kabona, Martin Kaboré, Boubacar Kadri, Khumbo Kalua, Sarjo Kanyi, Shambel Kebede, Fikreab Kebede, Jeremy D. Keenan, Amir Bedri Kello, Asad Aslam Khan, Houria Khelifi, Janvier Kilangalanga, Sung Hye Kim, Robert Ko, Susan Lewallen, Thomas M. Lietman, Makoy Samuel Yibi Logora, Yuri A Lopez, Chad MacArthur, Colin Macleod, Felix Makangila, Bréhima Mariko, Diana L. Martin
Abstract
PURPOSE: Population-based prevalence surveys are essential for decision-making on interventions to achieve trachoma elimination as a public health problem. This paper outlines the methodologies of Tropical Data, which supports work to undertake those surveys. METHODS: Tropical Data is a consortium of partners that supports health ministries worldwide to conduct globally standardised prevalence surveys that conform to World Health Organization recommendations. Founding principles are health ministry ownership, partnership and collaboration, and quality assurance and quality control at every step of the survey process. Support covers survey planning, survey design, training, electronic data collection and fieldwork, and data management, analysis and dissemination. Methods are adapted to meet local context and needs. Customisations, operational research and integration of other diseases into routine trachoma surveys have also been supported. RESULTS: April 2023, 3373 trachoma surveys across 50 countries have been supported, resulting in 10,818,502 people being examined for trachoma. CONCLUSION: This health ministry-led, standardised approach, with support from the start to the end of the survey process, has helped all trachoma elimination stakeholders to know where interventions are needed, where interventions can be stopped, and when elimination as a public health problem has been achieved. Flexibility to meet specific country contexts, adaptation to changes in global guidance and adjustments in response to user feedback have facilitated innovation in evidence-based methodologies, and supported health ministries to strive for global disease control targets.