RAAB7

RAAB7

RAAB7 is the new generation of the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness population-based eye health survey. Delivered digitally, it enables faster, more accurate collection and analysis of secure, high-quality eye health data relevant to current eye health priorities. RAAB7 replaces its predecessor (RAAB6) and provides enhanced functionality and greater efficiencies across multiple stages of the survey. 

RAAB7 has been developed in collaboration between the International Centre for Eye Health (ICEH) at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Peek Vision, in consultation with a steering group made up of representatives from the global eye health sector. 

Powered by Peek technology, RAAB7 has been designed and tested over three years with leading sector organisations. It includes new and updated features based on the current eye health landscape to meet stakeholders’ evolving needs, and to enable them to capture the highest-quality eye health planning data. 

RAAB7 collects data relating to the two eye health indicators selected by the World Health Organization to monitor progress towards universal health coverage (effective Refractive Error Coverage and effective Cataract Surgical Coverage). It also includes an optional disability module using the Washington Group Short Set, a module endorsed by various United Nations agencies for disaggregation of Sustainable Development Goal indicators.

The insights RAAB7 provides drive improvements in eye health service planning with the aim of preventing avoidable vision loss in millions of people around the world.

 

Features and benefits 

 

  • Delivered digitally to eliminate the need to upload information from paper forms, significantly speeding up data collection and saving costs on data entry personnel and equipment.

  • Bespoke mobile app for high-quality data collection, powered by Peek’s industry-leading vision testing and data collection technology. 

  • New user web platform with live survey data visibility to enable real-time monitoring for additional quality assurance throughout the survey, allowing users to quickly identify and respond to any issues.

  • Supports users to collect the most accurate eye health data possible, with decision-guiding prompts and in-built validation checks within the mobile app, plus an intelligent custom path through the survey based on a respondent’s answers.

  • New data input on uncorrected visual acuity to calculate effective Refractive Error Coverage (eREC), relevant to global eye health priorities.

  • New optional module to collect relevant data on disability in addition to existing optional module on diabetic retinopathy. 

  • New reporting outputs on eREC and revised thresholds of effective Cataract Surgical Coverage (eCSC).

  • Custom end of survey data reporting and templates to enable partners to easily interpret their eye health data. 

  • Encrypted data collection stored on a secure cloud solution, operating industry standard security controls and meeting strict security and data privacy requirements (ISO 27001 and General Data Protection Regulation).

  • Enhanced and updated training and support resources for RAAB Trainers.

Compare RAAB7’s enhanced features with the previous version of RAAB in our features table.

 

Cost

 

RAAB7 has been developed with and for the eye health sector. Although it is a non-profit making venture, there is a technology license and service fee to use RAAB7. The fee meets the providers’ (Peek and ICEH’s) costs of supporting RAAB7 survey delivery. The additional ongoing software maintenance costs, as well as the costs associated with further development of the methodology and software, are borne by the providers (Peek and ICEH). 

For more information on RAAB7, including features, fees and next steps to complete a survey, please contact enquiries@raab.world.

 

What is the difference between RAAB7 and the mRAAB app?

 

An earlier, interim RAAB application developed by Peek and ICEH, mRAAB, allowed users to input data using a smartphone into the previous version of RAAB (RAAB6).  Field tests demonstrated the advantages of the app in terms of eliminating the need for data validation and cleaning. However, the data entered into the mRAAB app still needed to be manually imported into other software for analysis. In addition to the powerful new RAAB7 survey features, the new RAAB7 app automatically uploads the data to the secure cloud-based server, resulting in a more efficient and streamlined process.

The RAAB6 underlying Microsoft software is no longer updated by Microsoft, or available for download from the RAAB Repository or website. Because the mRAAB (RAAB6) app was compatible only with this software we have removed it from Google Play store, where it was formerly available as a Beta (test) version.

Phone displaying RAAB7 mobile app and laptop showing RAB7 Admin web platform

RAAB7 app for data collection and web platform for real-time survey monitoring. Credit: Peek Vision