Abstract
Background Data about the effectiveness of digital contact tracing are based on studies conducted in countries
with predominantly high- or middle-income settings. Up to now, little research is done to identify specific problems
for the implementation of such technique in low-income countries.
Methods A Bluetooth-assisted GPS location-based digital contact tracing (DCT) app was tested by 141 participants
during 14 days in a hospital in Monrovia, Liberia in February 2020. The DCT app was compared to a paper-based reference
system. Hits between participants and 10 designated infected participants were recorded simultaneously by
both methods. Additional data about GPS and Bluetooth adherence were gathered and surveys to estimate battery
consumption and app adherence were conducted. DCT apps accuracy was evaluated in different settings.
Results GPS coordinates from 101/141 (71.6%) participants were received. The number of hours recorded by the
participants during the study period, true Hours Recorded (tHR), was 496.3 h (1.1% of maximum Hours recordable) during
the study period. With the paper-based method 1075 hits and with the DCT app five hits of designated infected
participants with other participants have been listed. Differences between true and maximum recording times were
due to failed permission settings (45%), data transmission issues (11.3%), of the participants 10.1% switched off GPS
and 32.5% experienced other technical or compliance problems.
In buildings, use of Bluetooth increased the accuracy of the DCT app (GPS + BT 22.9 m ± 21.6 SD vs. GPS 60.9 m ± 34.7
SD; p = 0.004). GPS accuracy in public transportation was 10.3 m ± 10.05 SD with a significant (p = 0.007) correlation
between precision and phone brand. GPS resolution outdoors was 10.4 m ± 4.2 SD.
Conclusion In our study several limitations of the DCT together with the impairment of GPS accuracy in urban settings
impede the solely use of a DCT app. It could be feasible as a supplement to traditional manual contact tracing.
DKRS, DRKS0 00293 27. Registered 20 June 2020 - Retrospectively registered.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:DRESDEN/oai:qucosa:de:qucosa:90983 |
| Date | 18 April 2024 |
| Creators | Handmann, Eric |
| Contributors | Universität Leipzig |
| Source Sets | Hochschulschriftenserver (HSSS) der SLUB Dresden |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion, doc-type:doctoralThesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis, doc-type:Text |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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