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

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 29th February 2016 and 24th 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.

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UNC Libraries
Published
2025-09-23
DOI
https://doi.org/10.17615/cq96-h645
Primary Topic
Virology and Viral Diseases
Type
article
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article

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

Fatoumata Sakho, Sandra Liliana Talero, Ye Win, Harvy Alberto Honorio-Morales et al.
UNC Libraries
Virology and Viral Diseases
article

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

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

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 29th February 2016 and 24th 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.

UNC Libraries
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
United States Agency for International Development, International Trachoma Initiative, Pfizer, World Health Organization, RTI International, Safari Club International Foundation, Children's Investment Fund Foundation, Fred Hollows Foundation, Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, National Institutes of Health, Pan American Health Organization, National Institute of General Medical Sciences
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Virology and Viral Diseases
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