14,905 research outputs found

    Building the case for actionable ethics in digital health research supported by artificial intelligence

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    The digital revolution is disrupting the ways in which health research is conducted, and subsequently, changing healthcare. Direct-to-consumer wellness products and mobile apps, pervasive sensor technologies and access to social network data offer exciting opportunities for researchers to passively observe and/or track patients ‘in the wild’ and 24/7. The volume of granular personal health data gathered using these technologies is unprecedented, and is increasingly leveraged to inform personalized health promotion and disease treatment interventions. The use of artificial intelligence in the health sector is also increasing. Although rich with potential, the digital health ecosystem presents new ethical challenges for those making decisions about the selection, testing, implementation and evaluation of technologies for use in healthcare. As the ‘Wild West’ of digital health research unfolds, it is important to recognize who is involved, and identify how each party can and should take responsibility to advance the ethical practices of this work. While not a comprehensive review, we describe the landscape, identify gaps to be addressed, and offer recommendations as to how stakeholders can and should take responsibility to advance socially responsible digital health research

    Supporting Self-Management of Cardiovascular Diseases Through Remote Monitoring Technologies:Metaethnography Review of Frameworks, Models, and Theories Used in Research and Development

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    Background: Electronic health (eHealth) is a rapidly evolving field informed by multiple scientific disciplines. Because of this, the use of different terms and concepts to explain the same phenomena and lack of standardization in reporting interventions often leaves a gap that hinders knowledge accumulation. Interventions focused on self-management support of cardiovascular diseases through the use of remote monitoring technologies are a cross-disciplinary area potentially affected by this gap. A review of the underlying frameworks, models, and theories that have informed projects at this crossroad could advance future research and development efforts. Objective: This research aimed to identify and compare underlying approaches that have informed interventions focused on self-management support of cardiovascular diseases through the use of remote monitoring technologies. The objective was to achieve an understanding of the distinct approaches by highlighting common or conflicting principles, guidelines, and methods. Methods: The metaethnography approach was used to review and synthesize researchers' reports on how they applied frameworks, models, and theories in their projects. Literature was systematically searched in 7 databases: Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Association for Computing Machinery Digital Library, and Cochrane Library. Included studies were thoroughly read and coded to extract data for the synthesis. Studies were mainly related by the key ingredients of the underlying approaches they applied. The key ingredients were finally translated across studies and synthesized into thematic clusters. Results: Of 1224 initial results, 17 articles were included. The articles described research and development of 10 different projects. Frameworks, models, and theories (n=43) applied by the projects were identified. Key ingredients (n=293) of the included articles were mapped to the following themes of eHealth development: (1) it is a participatory process; (2) it creates new infrastructures for improving health care, health, and well-being; (3) it is intertwined with implementation; (4) it integrates theory, evidence, and participatory approaches for persuasive design; (5) it requires continuous evaluation cycles; (6) it targets behavior change; (7) it targets technology adoption; and (8) it targets health-related outcomes. Conclusions: The findings of this review support and exemplify the numerous possibilities in the use of frameworks, models, and theories to guide research and development of eHealth. Participatory, user-centered design, and integration with empirical evidence and theoretical modeling were widely identified principles in the literature. On the contrary, less attention has been given to the integration of implementation in the development process and supporting novel eHealth-based health care infrastructures. To better integrate theory and evidence, holistic approaches can combine patient-centered studies with consolidated knowledge from expert-based approaches

    Assessing the Pragmatic Nature of Mobile Health Interventions Promoting Physical Activity: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

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    Background: Mobile health (mHealth) apps can promote physical activity; however, the pragmatic nature (ie, how well research translates into real-world settings) of these studies is unknown. The impact of study design choices, for example, intervention duration, on intervention effect sizes is also understudied. Objective: This review and meta-analysis aims to describe the pragmatic nature of recent mHealth interventions for promoting physical activity and examine the associations between study effect size and pragmatic study design choices. Methods: The PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases were searched until April 2020. Studies were eligible if they incorporated apps as the primary intervention, were conducted in health promotion or preventive care settings, included a device-based physical activity outcome, and used randomized study designs. Studies were assessed using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) and Pragmatic-Explanatory Continuum Indicator Summary-2 (PRECIS-2) frameworks. Study effect sizes were summarized using random effect models, and meta-regression was used to examine treatment effect heterogeneity by study characteristics. Results: Overall, 3555 participants were included across 22 interventions, with sample sizes ranging from 27 to 833 (mean 161.6, SD 193.9, median 93) participants. The study populations’ mean age ranged from 10.6 to 61.5 (mean 39.6, SD 6.5) years, and the proportion of males included across all studies was 42.8% (1521/3555). Additionally, intervention lengths varied from 2 weeks to 6 months (mean 60.9, SD 34.9 days). The primary app- or device-based physical activity outcome differed among interventions: most interventions (17/22, 77%) used activity monitors or fitness trackers, whereas the rest (5/22, 23%) used app-based accelerometry measures. Data reporting across the RE-AIM framework was low (5.64/31, 18%) and varied within specific dimensions (Reach=44%; Effectiveness=52%; Adoption=3%; Implementation=10%; Maintenance=12.4%). PRECIS-2 results indicated that most study designs (14/22, 63%) were equally explanatory and pragmatic, with an overall PRECIS-2 score across all interventions of 2.93/5 (SD 0.54). The most pragmatic dimension was flexibility (adherence), with an average score of 3.73 (SD 0.92), whereas follow-up, organization, and flexibility (delivery) appeared more explanatory with means of 2.18 (SD 0.75), 2.36 (SD 1.07), and 2.41 (SD 0.72), respectively. An overall positive treatment effect was observed (Cohen d=0.29, 95% CI 0.13-0.46). Meta-regression analyses revealed that more pragmatic studies (−0.81, 95% CI −1.36 to −0.25) were associated with smaller increases in physical activity. Treatment effect sizes were homogenous across study duration, participants’ age and gender, and RE-AIM scores

    Health professionals' perspective on the promotion of e-mental health apps in the context of maternal depression.

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    Our study focuses on exploring (1) the intention of health professionals to use and recommend e-mental health applications, (2) how this intention of health professionals might be influenced, (3) which group of health professionals might be most accessible to promote e-mental health applications for maternal depression, and (4) for which tasks they rate them to be most useful. Based on a questionnaire informed by the theory of planned behavior, we collected 131 responses of U.S., Spanish, and Swiss health professionals in the field of pregnancy and maternal care (including psychologists, psychiatrists, midwives, and doctors) by means of an online survey. We analyzed the gathered data applying a structured equation model. Our study reveals that health professionals would in general intend to recommend and use e-mental health applications. However, their attitude towards e-mental health applications varies regarding the respective use cases and also differs among health professions. We offer three alternative propositions for private or public organizations, associations, or any other entity whose purpose is service to the community for introducing e-mental health applications into practice
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