Pilot use of a novel smartphone application to track traveller health behaviour and collect infectious disease data during a mass gathering: Hajj pilgrimage 2014.
This study examines the feasibility of using a smartphone application (app) to conduct surveys among travellers during the Hajj pilgrimage, where the use of apps has not been evaluated for infectious disease surveillance. A longitudinal study was conducted among pilgrims at the Hajj 2014 using an iPhone app with separate questionnaires for three study phases covering before, during, and after Hajj. Forty-eight pilgrims from 13 countries downloaded the app. Respondents were aged between 21 and 61 (median 36) years and 58.5% (24/41) were male. Of these, 85% (41/48) completed the first phase, 52% (25/41) completed both the second and third phases, and 25 of these reported meningococcal vaccination, with 36% (9/25) receiving other vaccines. All (25) reported hand hygiene use and 64% (16/25) wore a facemask at some point during the pilgrimage. Four (6%) reported close contact with camels. Respiratory symptoms commenced from the 4th day of Hajj, with sore throat (20%) and cough (12%) being the most common. Three participants (12%) reported respiratory symptoms after returning home. Conducting a prospective survey using a smartphone app to collect data on travel-associated infections and traveller compliance to prevention is feasible at mass gatherings and can provide useful data associated with health-related behaviour.
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases (NCIRS), The Children's Hospital at Westmead, and the Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: amani.alqahtani@health.nsw.gov.au.
Amani S
AS
Alqahtani
School of Public Health and Health Informatics, Saudi Electronic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Nasser F
NF
BinDhim
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases (NCIRS), The Children's Hospital at Westmead, and the Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Mohamed
M
Tashani
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases (NCIRS), The Children's Hospital at Westmead, and the Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Harold W
HW
Willaby
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases (NCIRS), The Children's Hospital at Westmead, and the Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Kerrie E
KE
Wiley
School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Anita E
AE
Heywood
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases (NCIRS), The Children's Hospital at Westmead, and the Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, School of Biological Sciences and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Robert
R
Booy
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases (NCIRS), The Children's Hospital at Westmead, and the Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Harunor
H
Rashid
D000328:Adult; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063731:Mobile Applications; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D000068997:Smartphone; D014195:Travel; D000076082:Travel-Related Illness; D055815:Young Adult
App; Hajj; Infectious disease; Mass gathering; Smartphone; Traveller