Tropical Data: Approach and Methodology as Applied to Trachoma Prevalence Surveys

Harding-Esch, Emma M and Burgert-Brucker, Clara R and Jimenez, Cristina and Bakhtiari, Ana and Willis, Rebecca and Bejiga, Michael Dejene and Mpyet, Caleb and Ngondi, Jeremiah and Boyd, Sarah and Abdala, Mariamo and Abdou, Amza and Adamu, Yilikal and Alemayehu, Addisu and Alemayehu, Wondu and Al-Khatib, Tawfik and Apadinuwe, Sue-Chen and Awaca, Naomie and Awoussi, Marcel S and Baayendag, Gilbert and Badiane, Mouctar Dieng and Bailey, Robin L and Batcho, Wilfrid and Bay, Zulficar and Bella, Assumpta and Beido, Nassirou and Bol, Yak Yak and Bougouma, Clarisse and Brady, Christopher J and Bucumi, Victor and Butcher, Robert and Cakacaka, Risiate and Cama, Anaseini and Camara, Mamoudou and Cassama, Eunice and Chaora, Shorai Grace and Chebbi, Amel Chenaoui and Chisambi, Alvin Blessings and Chu, Brian and Conteh, Abdulai and Coulibaly, Sidi Mohamed and Courtright, Paul and Dalmar, Abdi and Dat, Tran Minh and Davids, Thully and Djaker, Mohamed El Amine and de Fátima Costa Lopes, Maria and Dézoumbé, Djore and Dodson, Sarity and Downs, Philip and Eckman, Stephanie and Elshafie, Bilghis Elkhair and Elmezoghi, Mourad and Elvis, Ange Aba and Emerson, Paul and Epée, Emilienne EE and Faktaufon, Daniel and Fall, Mawo and Fassinou, Aréty and Fleming, Fiona and Flueckiger, Rebecca and Gamael, Koizan Kadjo and Garae, Mackline and Garap, Jambi and Gass, Katie and Gebru, Genet and Gichangi, Michael M and Giorgi, Emanuele and Goépogui, André and Gómez, Daniela Vaz Ferreira and Gómez Forero, Diana Paola and Gower, Emily W and Harte, Anna and Henry, Rob and Honorio-Morales, Harvy Alberto and Ilako, Dunera R and Issifou, Amadou Alfa Bio and Jones, Ellen and Kabona, George and Kabore, Martin and Kadri, Boubacar and Kalua, Khumbo and Kanyi, Sarjo Kebba and Kebede, Shambel and Kebede, Fikreab and Keenan, Jeremy D and Kello, Amir B and Khan, Asad Aslam and Khelifi, Houria and Kilangalanga, Janvier and Kim, Sung Hye and Ko, Robert and Lewallen, Susan and Lietman, Thomas and Logora, Makoy Samuel Yibi and Lopez, Yuri A and MacArthur, Chad and Macleod, Colin and Makangila, Felix and Mariko, Brehima and Martin, Diana L and Masika, Michael and Massae, Patrick and Massangaie, Marilia and Matendechero, Hadley S and Mathewos, Tsedeke and McCullagh, Siobhain and Meite, Aboulaye and Mendes, Elsa Palma and Abdi, Hirpa M and Miller, Hollman and Minnih, Abdellahi and Mishra, Sailesh Kumar and Molefi, Tuduetso and Mosher, Aryc and M’Po, Nerkoua and Mugume, Francis and Mukwiza, Robson and Mwale, Consity and Mwatha, Stephen and Mwingira, Upendo and Nash, Scott D and Nassa, Christophe and Negussu, Nebiyu and Nieba, Cece and Noah Noah, Jean Claude and Nwosu, Christian O and Olobio, Nicholas and Opon, Rapheal and Pavluck, Alexandre and Phiri, Isaac and Rainima-Qaniuci, Merelesita and Renneker, Kristen K and Saboyá-Díaz, Martha Idalí and Sakho, Fatoumata and Sanha, Salimato and Sarah, Virginia and Sarr, Boubacar and Szwarcwald, Celia L and Shah Salam, Ahmad and Sharma, Shekhar and Seife, Fikre and Serrano Chavez, Gloria Marina and Sissoko, Mactar and Sitoe, Henis Mior and Sokana, Oliver and Tadesse, Fentahun and Taleo, Fasiah and Talero, Sandra Liliana and Tarfani, Youcef and Tefera, Amsayaw and Tekeraoi, Rabebe and Tesfazion, Andeberhan and Traina, Abubaker and Traoré, Lamine and Trujillo-Trujillo, Julián and Tukahebwa, Edridah M and Vashist, Praveen and Wanyama, Ernest B and Warusavithana, Supriya D.P. and Watitu, Titus K and West, Sheila and Win, Ye and Woods, Geordie and Yajima, Aya and Yaya, Georges and Zecarias, Alem and Zewengiel, Solomon and Zoumanigui, Akoi and Hooper, Pamela J and Millar, Tom and Rotondo, Lisa and Solomon, Anthony W (2023) Tropical Data: Approach and Methodology as Applied to Trachoma Prevalence Surveys. Ophthalmic Epidemiology, 30 (6). pp. 544-560. ISSN 0928-6586

Abstract

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. 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. Between 29 February 2016 and 24 April 2023, 3373 trachoma surveys across 50 countries have been supported, resulting in 10,818,502 people being examined for trachoma. 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.