The RISKSUR EVA Tool (Survtool): a tool for the integrated evaluation of animal health surveillance systems

Peyre, M; Hoinville, L; Njoroge, J; Cameron, A; Traon, D; Goutard, F; Calba, C; Grosbois, V; Delabouglise, A; Varant, V; Drewe, J; Pfeiffer, D U; Haesler, B

Abstract

Information about infectious diseases at the global level relies on effective, efficient and sustainable national and international surveillance systems. Surveillance systems need to be regularly evaluated to ensure their effectiveness, the quality of the data and information provided, as well as to be able to allocate resources efficiently. Currently available frameworks for evaluation of surveillance systems in animal or human health often treat technical, process and socio-economic aspects separately instead of integrating them. The surveillance evaluation (EVA) tool, a support tool for the evaluation of animal health surveillance systems, was developed to provide guidance for integrated evaluation of animal health surveillance including economic evaluation. The tool was developed by international experts in surveillance and evaluation in an iterative process of development, testing and revision; taking into account existing frameworks and guidance, scientific literature and expert opinion elicitation. The EVA tool encompasses a web interface for users to develop an evaluation plan, a Wiki classroom to provide theoretical information on all required concepts and a generic evaluation work plan to facilitate implementation and reporting of outputs to decision makers. The tool was used to plan and conduct epidemiological and economic evaluations of surveillance for classical and African swine fever, bovine virus diarrhoea, avian influenza, and Salmonella Dublin in five European countries. These practical applications highlighted the importance of a comprehensive evaluation approach to improve the quality of the evaluation outputs (economic evaluation; multiple attributes assessment) and demonstrated the usefulness of the guidance provided by the EVA tool. At the same time they showed that comprehensive evaluations might be constrained by practical issues (e.g. confidentiality concerns, data availability) and resource scarcity. In the long term, the EVA tool is expected to increase professional evaluation capacity and help optimising health surveillance system efficiency and resource allocation for both public and private actors of the surveillance systems.

Citation

Peyre, M., Hoinville, L., Njoroge, J., Cameron, A., Traon, D., Goutard, F., …Haesler, B. (in press). The RISKSUR EVA Tool (Survtool): a tool for the integrated evaluation of animal health surveillance systems. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 173, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2019.104777

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 17, 2019
• Deposit Date: Oct 16, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 21, 2019
• Journal: PREVENTIVE VETERINARY MEDICINE
• Print ISSN: 0167-5877
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 173
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2019.104777
• Public URL: https://rvc-repository.worktribe.com/output/1380407