Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Dec 18, 2024
Date Accepted: Aug 5, 2025
Potential of the WHO Skin NTDs App to support and improve the detection of skin Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs): Protocol for a performance evaluation and feasibility study in Senegal
ABSTRACT
Background:
The WHO roadmap aims to control, eliminate or eradicate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) by promoting innovation in prevention, diagnosis and treatment. In this context, mobile health (mHealth) tools could play an important role to improve health care globally, particularly for skin NTDs. One such tool is the WHO Skin NTDs App (currently available in its beta version), which utilizes AI algorithms to classify skin lesion images and offers diagnostic suggestions and management information to aid primary care personnel in early detection. However, to harness the full potential of this and similar mHealth tools, additional insights into their diagnostic performance and potential implementation avenues in settings with limited access to trained dermatologists are essential.
Objective:
The objective of our mixed-methods study is to test the functionality, operability and potential of the WHO Skin NTDs App (beta version) to support the detection of skin NTDs and common skin conditions at the community level in Senegal.
Methods:
To test the performance of the WHO Skin NTDs App, we will compare the diagnosis suggested by the AI algorithm to a reference diagnosis established by dermatologists at the Thiès regional hospital in Senegal. Our target sample size are 800 skin lesion images. For the qualitative component, we will conduct in-depth interviews with national and international stakeholders (policy makers, community leaders, healthcare providers, software developers) to explore the general usefulness and potential of the application in the Senegalese context and to prepare an app-based intervention to be piloted in this setting.
Results:
We expect the results to provide detailed insights into the feasibility and potential of the WHO Skin NTDs App to support and improve the detection of skin NTDs and common skin conditions at the community level in Senegal. We started data collection in August 2024, with the first results expected to be available in early 2025.
Conclusions:
Our study will assess the performance and potential use of the WHO Skin NTDs App to detect skin NTDs and common skin conditions in Senegal, outlining its potential role in supporting early diagnoses and enhancing public health responses. Clinical Trial: DRKS-ID: DRKS00034297
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