Chap data format
1) Chap data format
Chap models are designed to be interchangeable: any model that follows the Chap interface can be evaluated on any Chap-compatible dataset. For this to work, datasets must follow a common CSV format so that models know which columns to expect and how to parse time periods and locations.
The required columns in the CSV-file are:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
time_period |
Time period in YYYY-MM (monthly) or YYYY-Wnn (weekly) format |
location |
Location identifier matching the GeoJSON features |
disease_cases |
Observed case counts |
Additional columns (e.g. rainfall, mean_temperature, population) are used as covariates by models that need them. A matching GeoJSON file with region polygons is optional but recommended for spatial visualizations.
2) Getting data
Choose the approach that fits your situation:
- Option 1: Use your own data — convert an existing dataset to the Chap format
- Option 2: Use DHIS2 data — export data from a DHIS2 instance
- Option 3: Use example data — download a ready-made dataset to get started quickly