Early Detection of Dengue Fever Outbreaks Using a Surveillance App (Mozzify): Cross-sectional Mixed Methods Usability Study

BACKGROUND: While early detection and effective control of epidemics depend on appropriate surveillance methods, the Philippines bases its dengue fever surveillance system on a passive surveillance method (notifications from barangay/village health centers, municipal or city health offices, hospitals, and clinics). There is no available mHealth (mobile health) app for dengue fever that includes all the appropriate surveillance methods in early detection of disease outbreaks in the country. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the usability of the Mozzify app in terms of objective quality (engagement, functionality, aesthetics, information) and app subjective and app-specific qualities and compare total app mean score ratings by sociodemographic profile and self and family dengue fever history to see what factors are associated with high app mean score rating among school-based young adult samples and health care professionals. Individual interviews and focus group discussions were also conducted among participants to develop themes from their comments and suggestions to help structure further improvement and future development of the app. METHODS: User experience sessions were conducted among participants, and the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) professional and user versions (uMARS) were administered followed by individual interviews and focus group discussions. Descriptive statistical analysis of the MARS and uMARS score ratings was performed. The total app mean score ratings by sociodemographic and dengue fever history using nonparametric mean difference analyses were also conducted. Thematic synthesis was used to develop themes from the comments and suggestions raised in individual interviews and focus group discussions. RESULTS: Mozzify obtained an overall >4 (out of 5) mean score ratings in the MARS and uMARS app objective quality (4.45), subjective (4.17), and specific (4.55) scales among 948 participants (79 health care professionals and 869 school-based samples). Mean difference analyses revealed that total app mean score ratings were not significantly different across ages and gender among health care professionals and across age, income categories, and self and family dengue fever history but not gender (P<.001) among the school-based samples. Thematic syntheses revealed 7 major themes: multilanguage options and including other diseases; Android version availability; improvements on the app’s content, design, and engagement; inclusion of users from low-income and rural areas; Wi-Fi connection and app size concerns; data credibility and issues regarding user security and privacy. CONCLUSIONS: With its acceptable performance as perceived by health care professionals and school-based young adults, Mozzify has the potential to be used as a strategic health intervention system for early detection of disease outbreaks in the Philippines. It can be used by health care professionals of any age and gender and by school-based samples of any age, socioeconomic status, and dengue fever history. The study also highlights the feasibility of school-based young adults to use health-related apps for disease prevention.