Multi-Disease Data Management System Platform for Vector-Borne Diseases

Background Emerging information technologies present new opportunities to reduce the burden of malaria, dengue and other infectious diseases. For example, use of a data management system software package can help disease control programs to better manage and analyze their data, and thus enhances their ability to carry out continuous surveillance, monitor interventions and evaluate control program performance. Methods and Findings We describe a novel multi-disease data management system platform (hereinafter referred to as the system) with current capacity for dengue and malaria that supports data entry, storage and query. It also allows for production of maps and both standardized and customized reports. The system is comprised exclusively of software components that can be distributed without the user incurring licensing costs. It was designed to maximize the ability of the user to adapt the system to local conditions without involvement of software developers. Key points of system adaptability include 1) customizable functionality content by disease, 2) configurable roles and permissions, 3) customizable user interfaces and display labels and 4) configurable information trees including a geographical entity tree and a term tree. The system includes significant portions of functionality that is entirely or in large part re-used across diseases, which provides an economy of scope as new diseases downstream are added to the system at decreased cost. Conclusions We have developed a system with great potential for aiding disease control programs in their task to reduce the burden of dengue and malaria, including the implementation of integrated vector management programs. Next steps include evaluations of operational implementations of the current system with capacity for dengue and malaria, and the inclusion in the system platform of other important vector-borne diseases

Managed Evolution of a Model Driven Development Approach to Software-based Solutions

The growing complexity of software systems has led to interest in model-based development techniques that raise the level of abstraction at which systems are conceived and implemented. The Model Driven Architecture (MDA) initiative from the Object Management Group (OMG) is a well-known example. This approach results in a series of related models. In order to effectively manage the evolution of the abstract models from the early design phases to the more concrete models that can be used to generate code an approach for recording the intermediate models and the transformations is needed. The capture of the models at different stages in the design evolution also provides a place to associate the rationale behind the design decisions. This paper develops a set of requirements and proposes an architecture and design for capturing the evolution snap-shots of the models in Model Driven Development (MDD).

Administration functionality to customize system roles and permissions.

<p>A) Create new user. B) Assign role(s) for new user. C) Edit permissions for Administration role.</p

Example of pre-defined custom calculations in a query builder.

<p>Query result for Breateau Index for larvae.</p

Main system menus for Malaria and Dengue.

<p>Main system menus for Malaria and Dengue.</p

Example of term tree structure for Dengue and use of configurable term tree lists in data entry screens.

<p>A) Example of term tree structure. Terms that are active for Dengue are shown in black, those that are inactive for Dengue are shown in gray. B) Using the term tree in data entry screens.</p

Editing options for geo entities, universals, and terms from the term tree.

<p>A) Editing options for geo entities. B) Editing options for universals. C) Editing options for term tree terms.</p