Development of database system for travelers from yellow fever affected areas: a case study of Don Mueang International Health Control Port

Abstract

This research and development aimed to (1) analyze strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the database www.pagth.net (2) evaluate efficiency of the database systems of www.pagth.net, Excel online and E-screening (3) study satisfaction of the port health officers and (4) satisfaction of the travelers with E-screening. The samples were 11 Don Mueang International Port Health officers and 8,413 travelers from yellow fever affected areas recruited by the purposive sampling technique. Tools were the database systems including www.pagth.net, Excel online and E-screening. Qualitative data analysis was concluded by description. The statistics which was used for analysis of the satisfaction questionnaire were the arithmetic mean and the standard deviation. The results of this study showed that success factors of the database system development should be relied on the available resources and an innovation in public health that was practical to reduce the operational redundancy. For the efficiency, we found that E-screening was more effective than Excel online and www.pagth.net. For the satisfaction of officials and travelers with E-screening, we found that it was in the high level (x= 4.25 and SD = 0.71, x= 4.60 and SD = 0.79). The E-screening should be developed by adapting it to be appropriate for the context of other International Health Control Ports. It should be developed for screening travelers from affected areas of other dangerous diseases and epidemics. It should also be further developed to be able to insert data to the system without an Internet connection as well as to be used by the participation partners to ensure a long run sustainability.