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Life sciences · Journal article
Medicine & Health · July 31, 2026
Early or partial results. Treat as a signal, not a conclusion.
This study used nominal group technique with seven experts (epidemiology, health informatics, environmental health) to identify and prioritize content for a leptospirosis mobile application for wet market workers. The exercise yielded four key constructs and ten essential items aligned with the health belief model, but reports no test of whether the application improves worker knowledge, attitudes, or practices.
Nominal group technique consensus exercise. Seven experts with backgrounds in epidemiology, health informatics, and environmental health; intended end-users were wet market workers in Malaysia.. Intervention: Nominal group technique session to identify and prioritise mobile application content constructs and items for leptospirosis prevention.. Not explicitly stated; inferred as Malaysia based on context of leptospirosis endemicity..
Seven experts prioritised 18 constructs and 50 items to develop mobile application content Four key constructs and 10 essential items were identified as essential and aligned with health belief model components Construct 1 addresses perceived severity and susceptibility regarding leptospirosis
Leptospirosis burden data cited (500,000 cases annually, >10% mortality, Malaysia 30.2 per 100,000 in 2015) serves as context only; not new findings from this work
This study is preparatory work for application development and does not yet provide evidence that the resulting mobile tool will change worker behaviour or outcomes. Implementation and effectiveness testing would be needed before clinical or public health adoption.
This is a descriptive consensus study using expert opinion to prioritize content for a mobile application; it reports no empirical outcomes, efficacy data, or validation of the resulting tool.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
This study is preparatory work for application development and does not yet provide evidence that the resulting mobile tool will change worker behaviour or outcomes. Implementation and effectiveness testing would be needed before clinical or public health adoption.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
The nominal group technique (NGT) was used to identify and prioritise the constructs and items for developing mobile application content to improve wet market workers' knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding leptospirosis.A hybrid-platform 3-hour NGT session was conducted, where seven experts (epidemiology, health informatics, environmental health) prioritised 18 constructs and 50 items to develop the content.The hybrid session involved five experts who participated in person, while two experts participated remotely via the Google Meet platform.The NGT consisted of four structured steps: (i) the experts independently and silently documented their responses to a stimulus question; (ii) each expert contributed an idea when asked a question, and the response was recorded; (iii) the experts discussed each idea to clarify its meaning and identified the most critical ideas; and (iv) the experts ranked their preferences (optional), voted on the ideas, and discussed the voting pattern.The experts' recommendations identified four key constructs and 10 essential items which aligned with health belief model (HBM) components.Construct 1 is essential to establish fundamental information and awareness regarding leptospirosis and addresses the perceived severity and susceptibility HBM components.Construct 2 aligns with perceived risk and self-efficacy and focuses on the direct and indirect transmission routes and fosters awareness of how routine behaviors may increase infection risk.Construct 3 emphasises the importance of using personal protective equipment when handling potentially contaminated materials.Construct 4 lists public and private health facilities and addresses perceived barriers by simplifying the medical care-seeking process.This study identified and prioritised mobile application content for leptospirosis prevention based on experts' opinions to ensure comprehensive, relevant and user-appropriate information.Keywords: Leptospirosis; mobile application content; nominal group technique that leptospirosis affects more than 500,000 people annually worldwide.Leptospirosis spreads rapidly, especially after a heavy rainy season or flooding.Most North and South American countries have recorded cases, where leptospirosis outbreaks were reported in Brazil, Guyana, Nicaragua and other Latin American countries.Severe symptoms and high mortality exceeding 10% have been observed in most complex cases.The exact number of human cases is unknown due to underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis, and flare-ups may be associated with tropical cyclones and floods [Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) n.d.].Malaysia is prone to leptospirosis endemicity given its geographic proximity to the equator and the significant rainfall in the region, especially during the monsoon season.Local data has stated that there were 30.2 leptospirosis cases per 100,000 people in 2015, a significant increase from 1.03 cases per 100,000 people in 2004.Furthermore, the age-standardised incidence rate