Quality Assurance and Quality Control in the Global Trachoma Mapping Project

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2018 Oct;99(4):858-863. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.18-0082.

Abstract

In collaboration with the health ministries that we serve and other partners, we set out to complete the multiple-country Global Trachoma Mapping Project. To maximize the accuracy and reliability of its outputs, we needed in-built, practical mechanisms for quality assurance and quality control. This article describes how those mechanisms were created and deployed. Using expert opinion, computer simulation, working groups, field trials, progressively accumulated in-project experience, and external evaluations, we developed 1) criteria for where and where not to undertake population-based prevalence surveys for trachoma; 2) three iterations of a standardized training and certification system for field teams; 3) a customized Android phone-based data collection app; 4) comprehensive support systems; and 5) a secure end-to-end pipeline for data upload, storage, cleaning by objective data managers, analysis, health ministry review and approval, and online display. We are now supporting peer-reviewed publication. Our experience shows that it is possible to quality control and quality assure prevalence surveys in such a way as to maximize comparability of prevalence estimates between countries and permit high-speed, high-fidelity data processing and storage, while protecting the interests of health ministries.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Chlamydia trachomatis / pathogenicity
  • Data Collection / methods*
  • Global Health / statistics & numerical data*
  • Health Surveys / standards*
  • Humans
  • Information Storage and Retrieval
  • International Cooperation
  • Neglected Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Neglected Diseases / microbiology
  • Neglected Diseases / pathology
  • Prevalence
  • Quality Control
  • Trachoma / epidemiology*
  • Trachoma / microbiology
  • Trachoma / pathology