Science Communication & Media
User Priorities for Vector-Borne Disease Features in a Public Health App Skyler Finucane* Skyler Finucane Finucane Finucane University of Arizona
Background: Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) are a growing public health concern in the United States, and Arizona experiences a disproportionately high burden of West Nile virus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and emerging locally acquired Dengue. Effective prevention and control rely on public engagement, however current outreach efforts are hindered by fragmented and inconsistent communication systems. Digital public health tools and citizen science approaches are potential methods for improving VBD education, but little is known about which app-based features users prioritize relative to other infectious disease topics.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from the WeHealth Notify End Users Questionnaire which was administered electronically to current and former app users. Participants (N = 225) ranked features related to five infectious disease topics: VBDs, respiratory, foodborne, waterborne, and sexually transmitted infections. Friedman tests with Nemenyi post-hoc comparisons were used to compare median ranks across VBD features, and Aligned Rank Transform (ART) models assessed demographic differences. For cross-disease comparisons, features were grouped into five thematic categories and analyzed using ART models.
Results: Participants prioritized VBD features related to situational awareness including tracking local disease transmission levels and the number of mosquitoes and ticks in their area. Forecasting tools were ranked lower and travel planning advice was ranked lowest overall. There were no significant differences across demographic groups. In the cross-disease comparison, feature rankings differed significantly by disease topic, indicating that user preferences for public health information vary by disease context even when feature themes are similar.
Conclusion: Public Health app users prioritize real-time, locally relevant situational awareness information for VBDs as compared to predictive forecasting and travel-related information. Differences in feature prioritization across disease topics highlight the need for disease-specific, user-centered app features within digital public health tools to promote engagement and supportive prevention behaviors.