Digital technologies usage can be seen today at all levels of preventive care in low and middle income countries. They are used to improve outcomes by assisting health workers to maximize output, prioritize and allocate healthcare resources, predict at-risk populations and prevent high risks of poor outcomes when planning interventions.
Suicide remains one of the leading causes of preventable deaths globally, it is the second leading cause of death among 15-24 year old’s worldwide (Danuta, et al., 2020), and the 4th leading cause of death among 15-19 year old’s (World Health Organization, 2021). With risk factors which include conflict, disaster, violence, abuse, or loss and a sense of isolation, (WHO, 2021), time is of the highest importance in suicide prevention.
Therefore to plan an intervention, data needs to be collected using a tool that has benefits such as :
- A user friendly interface
- Data collection, security and encryption, therefore promoting privacy
- Ability to collect data with or without internet
- Instant analysis and feedback of collected data
- Integration and comparison of previously gotten data
- Enabling export of collected data to DHIS2 for analysis, will definitely go a long way in data collection and analysis for strategy development, monitoring and evaluation.
The aforementioned features describe the data collection and analysis tool DataKojo, developed by ehealth4everyone. It is a flexible yet sophisticated mobile data collection platform used for surveys, research, and supervision while facilitating planning, monitoring and evaluations. Datakojo is your reliable tool for developing a suicide prevention program in your community or country. Information collected on both at risk populations and methods of suicide can be used as evidence to foster multi sectoral collaborations, awareness promotion, capacity building, surveillance, monitoring and evaluation, in areas like:
- Social media footprint tracking for at-risk individuals, using keywords.
- Quick response system for identified users of chosen keywords
- Implementing WHO’s LIVE-LIFE approach to suicide prevention.
- Promoting work-life harmony among workers
- Prompt identification and follow up of individuals with display of suicidal behaviors.
Visit https://www.datakojo.com/accounts/login/ to get started on your user-friendly data collection and analysis journey.
The Datakojo app is also available for download on google play store.
External sources
SHORT-LIVED ANGELS; SUICIDE AS A PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITY. Africa’s Public Health Network (APHeN). Retrieved September 18, 2021, from https://aphen.africa/t/short-lived-angels-suicide-as-a-public-health-priority/1365
Danuta, W., Miriam, I., Anika, W., & Vladimir, C. (2020, September 15). Adaptation of evidence-based suicide prevention strategies during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. World Psychiatry, 19(3), 294-306. Wiley online library training hub. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20801
World Health Organization. (2021, June 17). Suicide. World Health Organization. Retrieved September 5, 2021, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide
