Design of a digital tool for community-based arbovirus surveillance

Abstract

Introduction: Arboviral diseases represent a growing public health problem in the region, exacerbated by a lack of community cooperation, lack of disease awareness, and the limitations of manual paper-based record-keeping during active case detection. Given this scenario, the conceptual design of a mobile application was explored as a technological tool to strengthen epidemiological surveillance and citizen participation. Objective: To design a digital tool oriented toward community reporting and the traceability of arboviral cases. Method: Social research methods such as participant observation and semi-structured interviews were employed, alongside a user-centered design approach. The data obtained were translated into functional requirements and organized into four interdependent modules. Results: The design included: (1) symptom registration and enrollment accessible offline; (2) status updates featuring educational and preventive notifications; (3) an exclusive technical dashboard for healthcare professionals, providing access to individual patient records, heat maps, and statistics; and (4) flexible generation of charts and tables adjustable by epidemiological variables. Discussion: The proposal overcomes the limitations of the traditional screening system by democratizing registration, fostering community cooperation, and offering advanced analytical tools. Educational functions were integrated to reinforce prevention and promote health equity. Conclusions: The conceptual design transformed active case detection into an agile, inclusive, and scientific process, providing a technological solution that integrates education, prevention, and control, while strengthening epidemiological surveillance as a social and cultural phenomenon.