A PRE-VALIDATED HEALTH SURVEY
People on the move can safely report their /their child’s health needs
It is difficult to objectively assess a child’s experience during a crisis.
Especially while working in international contexts with multinational teams, it is vital to collect the voice of the child and their family without filtering it through the lens of the healthcare professional or aid worker.
The child needs to be heard, and resources may need to be allocated in a timely manner. This is why we sought to create an objective health survey tool for children and families escaping natural disasters or armed conflict.
The VIVI HealthSurvey contains a series of validated questions and 1 free text item. It covers:
The survey instrument was originally developed and validated during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, USA, in 2005. It was used to assess the impact of evacuation and displacement on the health status of thousands of children and their families.
It is difficult to objectively assess a child’s experience during a crisis.
Especially while working in international contexts with multinational teams, it is vital to collect the voice of the child and their family without filtering it through the lens of the healthcare professional or aid worker.
The child needs to be heard, and resources may need to be allocated in a timely manner. This is why we sought to create an objective health survey tool for children and families escaping natural disasters or armed conflict.
The VIVI HealthSurvey contains a series of validated questions and 1 free text item. It covers:
- Basic symptoms and medical complaints
- Environmental exposures
- Untoward experiences during evacuation and displacement
- Access to education
- Access to healthcare including chronic medication
- Immunizations and well-child visits
- Validated psychological questionnaire provided by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- In an open-ended question, respondents are then asked about their most important concerns relating to their current life.
The survey instrument was originally developed and validated during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, USA, in 2005. It was used to assess the impact of evacuation and displacement on the health status of thousands of children and their families.
NOW AVAILABLE AS A MOBILE APPLICATION
Mobile applications have vast potential to aid in global health surveillance. They can offer rapid screening tools in times of crisis, helping stakeholders to access timely information without compromising data privacy.
The VIVI HealthSurvey has since been converted into a chatbot available in 20 languages including
English, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Farsi, and Arabic.
In 2015 and 2016, during the peak of refugee arrivals in Europe, the Vaccine Safety Initiative utilized the mobile application to allow young refugees to self-report health needs securely and anonymously, in real-time.
During this refugee crisis, the use of the digital tool allowed rapid, yet comprehensive assessments of health risks and exposures in aggregate, along with data on the self-reported prevalence of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
The anonymous format of the VIVI HealthSurvey removes barriers and assists migrants in gaining a better understanding of their own health. It can also be used to identify needed resources in real-time.
The Project is featured on the Migration Research Postal of the UN Institute of Migration. Read more here.
The VIVI HealthSurvey has since been converted into a chatbot available in 20 languages including
English, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Farsi, and Arabic.
In 2015 and 2016, during the peak of refugee arrivals in Europe, the Vaccine Safety Initiative utilized the mobile application to allow young refugees to self-report health needs securely and anonymously, in real-time.
During this refugee crisis, the use of the digital tool allowed rapid, yet comprehensive assessments of health risks and exposures in aggregate, along with data on the self-reported prevalence of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
The anonymous format of the VIVI HealthSurvey removes barriers and assists migrants in gaining a better understanding of their own health. It can also be used to identify needed resources in real-time.
The Project is featured on the Migration Research Postal of the UN Institute of Migration. Read more here.