The SisaMob Information System: Implementation of Digital Data Collection as a Tool for Surveillance and Vector Control in the State of São Paulo

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The importance of information nowadays is a fact widely discussed and accepted and should compose the available arsenal for decision-making and the definition of strategies for disease control. The advance in the construction of the SisaWeb information system—SisaMob—represented an enhancement in the speed of obtaining and in the quality of the collected data. This allowed the universalization of the information since the data are available in report mode for public consultation or through dynamic reports in which the user selects the variables. This integration allows a better direction of vector control at the local level. ABSTRACT: Information systems are essential instruments in managing resources, in the evaluation of the epidemiological situation, and for decision-making at all hierarchical levels. Technological advances have allowed the development of systems that meet these premises. Therefore, it is recommended to consider the optimization of data entry and its immediate georeferencing in order to obtain information in real time. To meet this objective, we describe the application introduction process for the implementation of the digital collection of primary data and its integration with the database through synchronization with the SisaWeb platform (Information System for surveillance and control of Aedes aegypti), developed to meet the needs of the Arbovirus Surveillance and Control Program in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. For this purpose, the application—SisaMob—was conceived in the Android Studio development environment, Google(®), following the same guidelines as the traditional collection method. Tablets equipped with the Android(®) operating system were used. To evaluate the implementation of the application, a semi-structured test was applied. The results highlighted that 774.9% (27) of the interviewees evaluated its use positively and, replacing the standard bulletin, 61.1% (22) of the users considered it regular to excellent. The automatic collection of geographic coordinates represented the greatest innovation in the use of the portable device, with reductions in errors and in the time taken to complete the report in the field. The integration to SisaWeb allowed obtaining information in real-time, being easily presented in tabular and graphic modes and spatially arranged through maps, making it possible to monitor the work at a distance, and allowing preliminary analyses during the data collection process. For the future, we must improve the mechanisms for assessing the effectiveness of information, increase the potential of the tool to produce more accurate analyses, which can direct actions more efficiently.