Competitive Analysis

This competitive analysis of Zika and mobile health alert apps aims to support the development of a new Zika alert app.

The analysis assessed key competitors on criteria related to alert features, user engagement, and response. Data was gathered from app stores and user reviews. The findings reveal strengths and weaknesses of current solutions, along with opportunities for improvement.

Direct competitors

Apps specifically designed to alert users about infectious diseases, including Zika virus, dengue fever, and other similar health issues.

App	Description	URL
Kidenga	Kidenga is a free smartphone app that allows users to report mosquito activity and symptoms of illness, aiding in early detection of potential outbreaks.	https://kidenga.org/
Mosquito Alert	Employs community input for tracking and managing Aedes mosquitoes' presence; however, specific details aren't available in my database.	https://www.mosquitoalert.com/en/
HealthMap	Utilizes real-time tracking to inform users about disease outbreaks in their vicinity. More specific details aren't available in my database.	https://healthmap.org/en/
WHO Zika app	Aims to provide essential information on Zika virus disease and its suspected complications. Designed primarily for health care workers and responders, the app can also be a source of real-time information for the general public	https://www.who.int/tools/who-zika-app

Indirect Competitors:

Offer related services that could be used for similar purposes but aren’t necessarily focused on infectious disease alerts like Zika or dengue.

App	Description	URL
WebMD	A comprehensive health app that, while not specifically targeting infectious diseases like Zika or dengue, can provide relevant information about symptoms and treatments.	https://www.webmd.com/
WeatherBug	Primarily a weather app, WeatherBug's features can indicate potential mosquito-friendly conditions	https://www.weatherbug.com/
CDC Mobile App	App ensures that you’re getting the most up to date health information	https://www.cdc.gov/digital-social-media-tools/mobile/applications/cdcgeneral/promos/cdcmobileapp.html
SmartTraveler App	The official State Department app for U.S. travelers,vinvites you to see the world with easy access to frequently updated official country information, travel alerts, travel warnings, maps, U.S. embassy locations, and more.	https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.state.apps.smarttraveler&hl=en_US&gl=US&pli=1

Assessment Criteria:

Assessment criteria for feature analysis and user interaction/response that we can use to evaluate competitor Zika and mosquito-borne disease alert apps. Criteria will provide insights into how competitors provide alerts and engage users.

Feature Analysis Criteria	User Interaction/Response Criteria
Types of alerts provided (e.g. mosquito activity, disease outbreaks, prevention tips). Alert customization options (e.g. location-based, severity-based, frequency). Outbreak tracking and mapping capabilities. Disease information provided (symptoms, treatment, etc.). Multilingual support. Offline functionality	Intuitiveness and ease of use. Visual appeal and design. Options for user reporting/input. Alert delivery methods (push notifications, in-app, email, etc.). Options for sharing alerts. User tutorials/education. Options for feedback and ratings. User engagement metrics (downloads, retention, sharing, etc). Reviews and ratings in app stores

User review analysis

User reviews and feedback on app stores, forums, and social media for the competitor Zika/mosquito-borne disease alert apps. Key insights on user experience, likes, dislikes, and suggested improvements.

Platform: Google Play Store

App	Key Feedback Points:
Kidenga	Users like the ability to easily report mosquito breeding sites and get alerts about mosquito activity in their area. This crowdsourced data helps identify potential hotspots. The app could use a simpler and more intuitive interface. The current design is a bit busy and confusing. More detailed information on the reported mosquito activity, like specific location, timing, amount etc. would be helpful. Some users faced technical issues with GPS and maps integration. Improving accuracy of location services would enhance the user experience. Expanding the app to cover a wider range of regions beyond just Brazil and Colombia would increase usefulness.
Mosquito Alert	The crowdsourcing model to track mosquito activity is appreciated. Easy to report sightings and breeding sites. The app is only available in Spanish language currently. English and other language support would expand the user base. The app could benefit from more educational content on mosquito prevention. The data collected could be better utilized to build heat maps showing high risk areas. Some users faced issues with collecting location data accurately. Improving GPS features would help.

Platform: App Store (iOS)

App	Key Feedback Points:
Kidenga	Simple and easy to use interface. Reporting mosquito activity is straightforward. Users want Apple Watch integration to simplify reporting and alerts on the go. Options for sharing reports on social media could help spread awareness. Expanding language support beyond English and Spanish would be beneficial. More details like type of mosquito, breeding site etc would make reports more useful.
Mosquito Alert	Crowdsourcing model to track mosquitoes is helpful but needs more user participation. App is only in Spanish. English and other languages needed to drive adoption globally. Add an Augmented Reality-AR feature to identify mosquito species by sight to assist reporting. Improve accuracy of location tracking and maps integration. Increase educational content on mosquito bite prevention and disease symptoms.

Alert Mechanisms

Types of alerts provided by the competitor Zika/mosquito-borne disease apps (push, SMS, email, etc.) and any customization options available to users.

Alert Types and Customization

Kidenga	Push notifications for reported mosquito activity and disease symptoms in user's area Email alerts for mosquito forecasts and disease outbreak warnings No customization options
Mosquito Alert	Push notifications for validated mosquito sightings Weekly email newsletter summarizing mosquito activity Users can select alert preferences like time of day and geographic radius
HealthMap	Push notifications for disease outbreaks based on location Email alerts for user-specified diseases and locations Customizable alert settings for location, distance, and disease types
WHO Zika app	Push notifications for Zika news and advice No other alert types or customization

Accuracy and Timeliness

Kidenga	Alerts based on crowd-sourced user reports may lack accuracy without verification Timeliness depends on user participation; delays likely between actual events and alerts
Mosquito Alert	Alert accuracy enhanced through verification of user reports Timeliness improved by frequent user participation across wide areas
HealthMap	Outbreak tracking from various sources provides accurate alerts Automated system enables real-time alerts as outbreaks occur
WHO Zika app	Official WHO info ensures alert accuracy Content updates provide timely new information But lacks real-time outbreak alerts

In summary, apps relying on automated tracking of official data sources tend to provide the most accurate and timely alerts, while crowd-sourced apps are less reliable. Customization options are limited, with only a few apps enabling user preferences for alert timing, location, and disease type.

Comparative analysis

Strengths and weaknesses of each competitor app. Look for gaps in the market that present opportunities for differentiation and improvement.

Apps	Strengths	Weakness
Kidenga	Allows users to easily report mosquito breeding sites and activity (crowdsourcing) Provides alerts on mosquito activity and disease symptoms based on location	No verification of user reports affects accuracy Dependent on user participation for timely alerts Very limited alert customization options.
Mosquito Alert	Crowdsourcing model to track mosquitoes through user reporting Verifies user reports to improve accuracy of alerts Users can customize alert preferences like location and timing	Only available in Spanish currently, limiting adoption Lacks educational content on prevention Needs improved location tracking accuracy.
HealthMap	Accurate and real-time disease outbreak alerts based on official sources Customizable alerts by location, distance, and disease type	Covers outbreaks but lacks real-time mosquito activity tracking.
WHO Zika App	Provides timely official news and advice on Zika Ensures alert accuracy through official WHO information	Does not provide outbreak alerts in real-time Very limited alert types and no customization.

Gaps/Opportunities

• Ability to identify mosquito species through image recognition to assist reporting

• Apple Watch integration for simplified reporting and alerts on the go

• Options for sharing reports on social media to drive participation

• Expand language support to drive global adoption

• Heat maps showing mosquito activity hotspots to improve outbreak prediction

• Combining official outbreak data with real-time crowdsourced mosquito tracking for maximum alert accuracy and timeliness

• Increased customization options for location, timing, and type of alerts

• More educational content on bite prevention and disease symptoms

Findings

Comparative matrix summarizing the assessment criteria across the competitor apps.

Feature Analysis Criteria

Criteria	Kidenga	Mosquito Alert	HealthMap	WHO Zika App
Types of alerts	Mosquito activity, disease symptoms	Mosquito sightings	Disease outbreaks	Zika news and advice
Alert customization	None	Location, radius, time of day	Location, distance, disease type	None
Outbreak tracking and mapping	None	None	Yes	None
Disease information	Symptoms only	None	Symptoms treatment	Symptoms, treatment, prevention
Multilingual support	English, Spanish	Spanish only	Multiple languages	Multiple languages
Offline functionality	None	None	Partial	None

User Interaction/Response Criteria

Criteria	Kidenga	Mosquito Alert	HealthMap	WHO Zika App
Ease of use	Simple	Moderate	Moderate	Simple
Visual appeal	Moderate	Moderate	Basic	Moderate
User reporting/input	Yes	Yes	No	No
Alert delivery	Push, email	Push, email	Push, email	Push
Sharing options	None	None	Limited	Limited
User education	Minimal	Minimal	Informational content	Informational content
User feedback	None	Star ratings	None	None
User engagement	Unknown	Moderate	High	Moderate
Reviews and ratings	Limited	Positive	Positive	Positive

Key findings and insights

• Crowdsourcing models can enable real-time mosquito tracking but need verification to ensure accuracy

• Customizable alerts for location, timing, and disease type provide the most value to users.

• Mapping features to display outbreak hotspots would improve predictive capabilities

• Multilingual support and educational content are needed to drive adoption and prevention behaviors globally

• Accuracy and timeliness of alerts rely on a combination of official data and user participation

• User engagement increases through community participation, feedback channels, and sharing capabilities

• Simple and intuitive interfaces promote continued app usage