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Wiebe M, Mackay M, Krishnan R, Tian J, Larsson J, Modanloo S, Job McIntosh C, Sztym M, Elton-Smith G, Rose A, Ho C, Greenshaw A, Cao B, Chan A, Hayward J. Feasibility characteristics of wrist-worn fitness trackers in health status monitoring for post-COVID patients in remote and rural areas. PLOS DIGITAL HEALTH 2024; 3:e0000571. [PMID: 39172978 PMCID: PMC11340956 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Common, consumer-grade biosensors mounted on fitness trackers and smartwatches can measure an array of biometrics that have potential utility in post-discharge medical monitoring, especially in remote/rural communities. The feasibility characteristics for wrist-worn biosensors are poorly described for post-COVID conditions and rural populations. METHODS We prospectively recruited patients in rural communities who were enrolled in an at-home rehabilitation program for post-COVID conditions. They were asked to wear a FitBit Charge 2 device and biosensor parameters were analyzed [e.g. heart rate, sleep, and activity]. Electronic patient reported outcome measures [E-PROMS] for mental [bi-weekly] and physical [daily] symptoms were collected using SMS text or email [per patient preference]. Exit surveys and interviews evaluated the patient experience. RESULTS Ten patients were observed for an average of 58 days and half [N = 5] were monitored for 8 weeks or more. Five patients [50%] had been hospitalized with COVID [mean stay = 41 days] and 4 [36%] had required mechanical ventilation. As baseline, patients had moderate to severe levels of anxiety, depression, and stress; fatigue and shortness of breath were the most prevalent physical symptoms. Four patients [40%] already owned a smartwatch. In total, 575 patient days of patient monitoring occurred across 10 patients. Biosensor data was usable for 91.3% of study hours and surveys were completed 82.1% and 78.7% of the time for physical and mental symptoms, respectively. Positive correlations were observed between stress and resting heart rate [r = 0.360, p<0.01], stress and daily steps [r = 0.335, p<0.01], and anxiety and daily steps [r = 0.289, p<0.01]. There was a trend toward negative correlation between sleep time and physical symptom burden [r = -0.211, p = 0.05]. Patients reported an overall positive experience and identified the potential for wearable devices to improve medical safety and access to care. Concerns around data privacy/security were infrequent. CONCLUSIONS We report excellent feasibility characteristics for wrist-worn biosensors and e-PROMS as a possible substrate for multi-modal disease tracking in post-COVID conditions. Adapting consumer-grade wearables for medical use and scalable remote patient monitoring holds great potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Wiebe
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Marnie Mackay
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Ragur Krishnan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Julie Tian
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Jakob Larsson
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Setayesh Modanloo
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Christiane Job McIntosh
- Neurosciences, Rehabilitation and Vision Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Melissa Sztym
- Covenant Health Rural Health Services, Edmonton, Canada
| | | | - Alyssa Rose
- Covenant Health Rural Health Services, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Chester Ho
- Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, Canada
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Andrew Greenshaw
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Bo Cao
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Andrew Chan
- Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Jake Hayward
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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Moorthy P, Weinert L, Schüttler C, Svensson L, Sedlmayr B, Müller J, Nagel T. Attributes, Methods, and Frameworks Used to Evaluate Wearables and Their Companion mHealth Apps: Scoping Review. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2024; 12:e52179. [PMID: 38578671 PMCID: PMC11031706 DOI: 10.2196/52179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wearable devices, mobile technologies, and their combination have been accepted into clinical use to better assess the physical fitness and quality of life of patients and as preventive measures. Usability is pivotal for overcoming constraints and gaining users' acceptance of technology such as wearables and their companion mobile health (mHealth) apps. However, owing to limitations in design and evaluation, interactive wearables and mHealth apps have often been restricted from their full potential. OBJECTIVE This study aims to identify studies that have incorporated wearable devices and determine their frequency of use in conjunction with mHealth apps or their combination. Specifically, this study aims to understand the attributes and evaluation techniques used to evaluate usability in the health care domain for these technologies and their combinations. METHODS We conducted an extensive search across 4 electronic databases, spanning the last 30 years up to December 2021. Studies including the keywords "wearable devices," "mobile apps," "mHealth apps," "physiological data," "usability," "user experience," and "user evaluation" were considered for inclusion. A team of 5 reviewers screened the collected publications and charted the features based on the research questions. Subsequently, we categorized these characteristics following existing usability and wearable taxonomies. We applied a methodological framework for scoping reviews and the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist. RESULTS A total of 382 reports were identified from the search strategy, and 68 articles were included. Most of the studies (57/68, 84%) involved the simultaneous use of wearables and connected mobile apps. Wrist-worn commercial consumer devices such as wristbands were the most prevalent, accounting for 66% (45/68) of the wearables identified in our review. Approximately half of the data from the medical domain (32/68, 47%) focused on studies involving participants with chronic illnesses or disorders. Overall, 29 usability attributes were identified, and 5 attributes were frequently used for evaluation: satisfaction (34/68, 50%), ease of use (27/68, 40%), user experience (16/68, 24%), perceived usefulness (18/68, 26%), and effectiveness (15/68, 22%). Only 10% (7/68) of the studies used a user- or human-centered design paradigm for usability evaluation. CONCLUSIONS Our scoping review identified the types and categories of wearable devices and mHealth apps, their frequency of use in studies, and their implementation in the medical context. In addition, we examined the usability evaluation of these technologies: methods, attributes, and frameworks. Within the array of available wearables and mHealth apps, health care providers encounter the challenge of selecting devices and companion apps that are effective, user-friendly, and compatible with user interactions. The current gap in usability and user experience in health care research limits our understanding of the strengths and limitations of wearable technologies and their companion apps. Additional research is necessary to overcome these limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preetha Moorthy
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Center for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Lina Weinert
- Institute of Medical Informatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Section for Oral Health, Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christina Schüttler
- Medical Center for Information and Communication Technology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Laura Svensson
- Institute of Medical Informatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Brita Sedlmayr
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Julia Müller
- Institute of Medical Informatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Till Nagel
- Human Data Interaction Lab, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
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Shajari S, Kuruvinashetti K, Komeili A, Sundararaj U. The Emergence of AI-Based Wearable Sensors for Digital Health Technology: A Review. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:9498. [PMID: 38067871 PMCID: PMC10708748 DOI: 10.3390/s23239498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Disease diagnosis and monitoring using conventional healthcare services is typically expensive and has limited accuracy. Wearable health technology based on flexible electronics has gained tremendous attention in recent years for monitoring patient health owing to attractive features, such as lower medical costs, quick access to patient health data, ability to operate and transmit data in harsh environments, storage at room temperature, non-invasive implementation, mass scaling, etc. This technology provides an opportunity for disease pre-diagnosis and immediate therapy. Wearable sensors have opened a new area of personalized health monitoring by accurately measuring physical states and biochemical signals. Despite the progress to date in the development of wearable sensors, there are still several limitations in the accuracy of the data collected, precise disease diagnosis, and early treatment. This necessitates advances in applied materials and structures and using artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled wearable sensors to extract target signals for accurate clinical decision-making and efficient medical care. In this paper, we review two significant aspects of smart wearable sensors. First, we offer an overview of the most recent progress in improving wearable sensor performance for physical, chemical, and biosensors, focusing on materials, structural configurations, and transduction mechanisms. Next, we review the use of AI technology in combination with wearable technology for big data processing, self-learning, power-efficiency, real-time data acquisition and processing, and personalized health for an intelligent sensing platform. Finally, we present the challenges and future opportunities associated with smart wearable sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaghayegh Shajari
- Center for Applied Polymers and Nanotechnology (CAPNA), Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N1 N4, Canada;
- Center for Bio-Integrated Electronics (CBIE), Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics (QSIB), Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Kirankumar Kuruvinashetti
- Intelligent Human and Animal Assistive Devices, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (K.K.); (A.K.)
- Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Amin Komeili
- Intelligent Human and Animal Assistive Devices, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (K.K.); (A.K.)
- Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Uttandaraman Sundararaj
- Center for Applied Polymers and Nanotechnology (CAPNA), Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N1 N4, Canada;
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Dobson R, Stowell M, Warren J, Tane T, Ni L, Gu Y, McCool J, Whittaker R. Use of Consumer Wearables in Health Research: Issues and Considerations. J Med Internet Res 2023; 25:e52444. [PMID: 37988147 DOI: 10.2196/52444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
As wearable devices, which allow individuals to track and self-manage their health, become more ubiquitous, the opportunities are growing for researchers to use these sensors within interventions and for data collection. They offer access to data that are captured continuously, passively, and pragmatically with minimal user burden, providing huge advantages for health research. However, the growth in their use must be coupled with consideration of their potential limitations, in particular, digital inclusion, data availability, privacy, ethics of third-party involvement, data quality, and potential for adverse consequences. In this paper, we discuss these issues and strategies used to prevent or mitigate them and recommendations for researchers using wearables as part of interventions or for data collection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosie Dobson
- School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Institute for Innovation and Improvement, Te Whatu Ora Waitematā, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Melanie Stowell
- School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jim Warren
- School of Computer Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Taria Tane
- School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Lin Ni
- School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Yulong Gu
- School of Health Sciences, Stockton University, Galloway, NJ, United States
| | - Judith McCool
- School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Robyn Whittaker
- School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Institute for Innovation and Improvement, Te Whatu Ora Waitematā, Auckland, New Zealand
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Esmonde K, Roth SM, Walker A. A Social and Ethical Framework for Providing Health Information Obtained from Combining Genetics and Fitness Tracking Data. TECHNOLOGY IN SOCIETY 2023; 74:102297. [PMID: 37521714 PMCID: PMC10373508 DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2023.102297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
In this paper we explore a new technological intersection in the "big data revolution": the integration of two forms of data, genetic data and fitness tracking data. For example, a small number of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing companies have recently begun offering customers the ability to link their fitness tracking data with their genetic profile to get personalized diet and exercise recommendations. In this paper we put forward four ethical considerations that should inform potential uses of this health information. Those considerations are: the heightened risks to privacy resulting from combining sensitive data sets; the poor quality of health information that is possible at present in the realm of precision DTC genomics; the limited usefulness of the recommendations; and finally, the cultural assumptions about health and personal responsibility that are embedded within fitness genetic testing and fitness tracking. To conclude, we offer some guidance on how the benefits and risks of returning this type of health information can be weighed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn Esmonde
- Berman Institute of Bioethics, Johns Hopkins University, 1809 Ashland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, USA, 21205
| | - Stephen M Roth
- School of Public Health, University of Maryland, 4200 Valley Drive, College Park, MD, USA, 20742
| | - Alexis Walker
- Department of Medical Humanities and Ethics, Columbia University, 630 West 168 Street, New York, NY, USA, 10032
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Mavragani A, Wu Y, Meng Z, Li J, Xu L, Sun X, Zang S. Willingness to Use Mobile Health Devices in the Post-COVID-19 Era: Nationwide Cross-sectional Study in China. J Med Internet Res 2023; 25:e44225. [PMID: 36719823 PMCID: PMC9942786 DOI: 10.2196/44225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the increased development and use of mobile health (mHealth) devices during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is little knowledge of willingness of the Chinese people to use mHealth devices and the key factors associated with their use in the post-COVID-19 era. Therefore, a more comprehensive and multiangle investigation is required. OBJECTIVE We aimed to probe Chinese attitudes regarding the use of mHealth and analyze possible associations between the attitude of willingness to use mHealth devices and some factors based on the socioecological model. METHODS A survey was conducted using quota sampling to recruit participants from 148 cities in China between June 20 and August 31, 2022. Data from the survey were analyzed using multiple stepwise regression to examine the factors associated with willingness to use mHealth devices. Standardized regression coefficients (β) and 95% CIs were calculated using multiple stepwise regression. RESULTS The survey contained a collection of 21,916 questionnaires and 21,897 were valid questionnaires, with a 99.91% effective response rate. The median score of willingness to use mHealth in the post-COVID-19 era was 70 points on a scale from 0 to 100. Multiple stepwise regression results showed that the female gender (β=.03, 95% CI 1.04-2.35), openness personality trait (β=.05, 95% CI 0.53-0.96), higher household per capita monthly income (β=.03, 95% CI 0.77-2.24), and commercial and multiple insurance (β=.04, 95% CI 1.77-3.47) were factors associated with the willingness to use mHealth devices. In addition, people with high scores of health literacy (β=.13, 95% CI 0.53-0.68), self-reported health rating (β=.22, 95% CI 0.24-0.27), social support (β=.08, 95% CI 0.40-0.61), family health (β=.03, 95% CI 0.03-0.16), neighbor relations (β=.12, 95% CI 2.09-2.63), and family social status (β=.07, 95% CI 1.19-1.69) were more likely to use mHealth devices. CONCLUSIONS On the basis of the theoretical framework of socioecological model, this study identified factors specifically associated with willingness of the Chinese people to use mHealth devices in the post-COVID-19 era. These findings provide reference information for the research, development, promotion, and application of future mHealth devices.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yibo Wu
- School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyu Meng
- Department of the First Clinical Medical College, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
| | - Jiayuan Li
- Department of the First Clinical Medical College, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
| | - Li Xu
- Department of Community Nursing, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xinying Sun
- School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuang Zang
- Department of Community Nursing, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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Chen J, Li T, You H, Wang J, Peng X, Chen B. Behavioral Interpretation of Willingness to Use Wearable Health Devices in Community Residents: A Cross-Sectional Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3247. [PMID: 36833943 PMCID: PMC9960868 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Wearable health devices (WHDs) have become increasingly advantageous in long-term health monitoring and patient management. However, most people have not yet benefited from such innovative technologies, and the willingness to accept WHDs and their influencing factors are still unclear. Based on two behavioral theories: the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the diffusion of innovation (DOI), this study aims to explore the influencing factors of willingness to use WHDs in community residents from the perspective of both internal and external factors. A convenience sample of 407 community residents were recruited from three randomly selected Community Health Service Centers (CHSCs) in Nanjing, China, and were investigated with a self-developed questionnaires. The mean score of willingness to use WHDs was 17.00 (range 5-25). In the dimensions of TPB, perceived behavioral control (β = 1.979, p < 0.001) was the strongest influencing factor. Subjective norms (β = 1.457, p < 0.001) and attitudes (β = 0.651, p = 0.016) were also positively associated with willingness. In innovation characteristics of DOI, compatibility (β = 0.889, p < 0.001) and observability (β = 0.576, p = 0.003) had positive association with the willingness to wear a WHD. This study supports the applicability of the two behavioral theories to interpret the willingness to use WHDs in Chinese community residents. Compared with the innovative features of WHDs, individual cognitive factors were more critical predictors of willingness to use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Chen
- School of Nursing, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Ting Li
- Geriatric Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Hua You
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Jingyu Wang
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Xueqing Peng
- Chengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Baoyi Chen
- MaiGaoQiao Community Health Service Center, Nanjing 210028, China
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Loggie C, Davis J. The emergence of health information in aged care. HEALTH INF MANAG J 2022; 52:59-63. [PMID: 36314717 DOI: 10.1177/18333583221128339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Amiriparian S, Hübner T, Karas V, Gerczuk M, Ottl S, Schuller BW. DeepSpectrumLite: A Power-Efficient Transfer Learning Framework for Embedded Speech and Audio Processing From Decentralized Data. Front Artif Intell 2022; 5:856232. [PMID: 35372830 PMCID: PMC8969434 DOI: 10.3389/frai.2022.856232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Deep neural speech and audio processing systems have a large number of trainable parameters, a relatively complex architecture, and require a vast amount of training data and computational power. These constraints make it more challenging to integrate such systems into embedded devices and utilize them for real-time, real-world applications. We tackle these limitations by introducing DeepSpectrumLite, an open-source, lightweight transfer learning framework for on-device speech and audio recognition using pre-trained image Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). The framework creates and augments Mel spectrogram plots on the fly from raw audio signals which are then used to finetune specific pre-trained CNNs for the target classification task. Subsequently, the whole pipeline can be run in real-time with a mean inference lag of 242.0 ms when a DenseNet121 model is used on a consumer-grade Motorola moto e7 plus smartphone. DeepSpectrumLite operates decentralized, eliminating the need for data upload for further processing. We demonstrate the suitability of the proposed transfer learning approach for embedded audio signal processing by obtaining state-of-the-art results on a set of paralinguistic and general audio tasks, including speech and music emotion recognition, social signal processing, COVID-19 cough and COVID-19 speech analysis, and snore sound classification. We provide an extensive command-line interface for users and developers which is comprehensively documented and publicly available at https://github.com/DeepSpectrum/DeepSpectrumLite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahin Amiriparian
- Chair of Embedded Intelligence for Health Care and Wellbeing, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Shahin Amiriparian
| | - Tobias Hübner
- Chair of Embedded Intelligence for Health Care and Wellbeing, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Vincent Karas
- Chair of Embedded Intelligence for Health Care and Wellbeing, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Maurice Gerczuk
- Chair of Embedded Intelligence for Health Care and Wellbeing, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Sandra Ottl
- Chair of Embedded Intelligence for Health Care and Wellbeing, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Björn W. Schuller
- Chair of Embedded Intelligence for Health Care and Wellbeing, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Group on Language, Audio, and Music (GLAM), Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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Kim J, Sung Y. Artificial Intelligence Is Safer for My Privacy: Interplay Between Types of Personal Information and Agents on Perceived Privacy Risk and Concerns. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2022; 25:118-123. [PMID: 34883024 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2021.0076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The development of novel technologies has increasingly complicated the issue of users' privacy. This study aimed to investigate the impact that the types of information as well as agents have on perceptions of privacy risks and concerns. The results showed that participants perceived privacy risk and were most concerned when they were asked to provide digital life information, followed by being asked for digital footprint information, and even more so when they were asked to provide this information to a human agent instead of an artificial intelligence agent. However, there were no differences in the perception of privacy risks and concerns with respect to self-expression and demographic information. The implications of these findings are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jungwon Kim
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yongjun Sung
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
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Hemsley B, Debono D. Recognising complexity: Foregrounding vulnerable and diverse populations for inclusive health information management research. HEALTH INF MANAG J 2021; 51:113-117. [PMID: 34822259 DOI: 10.1177/18333583211052708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Deborah Debono
- Faculty of Health, 1994University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
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Wang C, Jiang W, Yang K, Yu D, Newn J, Sarsenbayeva Z, Goncalves J, Kostakos V. Electronic Monitoring Systems for Hand Hygiene: Systematic Review of Technology. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e27880. [PMID: 34821565 PMCID: PMC8663600 DOI: 10.2196/27880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways of preventing health care-associated infections and reducing their transmission. Owing to recent advances in sensing technologies, electronic hand hygiene monitoring systems have been integrated into the daily routines of health care workers to measure their hand hygiene compliance and quality. OBJECTIVE This review aims to summarize the latest technologies adopted in electronic hand hygiene monitoring systems and discuss the capabilities and limitations of these systems. METHODS A systematic search of PubMed, ACM Digital Library, and IEEE Xplore Digital Library was performed following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Studies were initially screened and assessed independently by the 2 authors, and disagreements between them were further summarized and resolved by discussion with the senior author. RESULTS In total, 1035 publications were retrieved by the search queries; of the 1035 papers, 89 (8.60%) fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were retained for review. In summary, 73 studies used electronic monitoring systems to monitor hand hygiene compliance, including application-assisted direct observation (5/73, 7%), camera-assisted observation (10/73, 14%), sensor-assisted observation (29/73, 40%), and real-time locating system (32/73, 44%). A total of 21 studies evaluated hand hygiene quality, consisting of compliance with the World Health Organization 6-step hand hygiene techniques (14/21, 67%) and surface coverage or illumination reduction of fluorescent substances (7/21, 33%). CONCLUSIONS Electronic hand hygiene monitoring systems face issues of accuracy, data integration, privacy and confidentiality, usability, associated costs, and infrastructure improvements. Moreover, this review found that standardized measurement tools to evaluate system performance are lacking; thus, future research is needed to establish standardized metrics to measure system performance differences among electronic hand hygiene monitoring systems. Furthermore, with sensing technologies and algorithms continually advancing, more research is needed on their implementation to improve system performance and address other hand hygiene-related issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaofan Wang
- School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia
| | - Weiwei Jiang
- School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia
| | - Kangning Yang
- School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia
| | - Difeng Yu
- School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia
| | - Joshua Newn
- School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia
| | - Zhanna Sarsenbayeva
- School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia
| | - Jorge Goncalves
- School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia
| | - Vassilis Kostakos
- School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia
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Somani SN, Yu KM, Chiu AG, Sykes KJ, Villwock JA. Consumer Wearables for Patient Monitoring in Otolaryngology: A State of the Art Review. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2021; 167:620-631. [PMID: 34813407 DOI: 10.1177/01945998211061681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Consumer wearables, such as the Apple Watch or Fitbit devices, have become increasingly commonplace over the past decade. The application of these devices to health care remains an area of significant yet ill-defined promise. This review aims to identify the potential role of consumer wearables for the monitoring of otolaryngology patients. DATA SOURCES PubMed. REVIEW METHODS A PubMed search was conducted to identify the use of consumer wearables for the assessment of clinical outcomes relevant to otolaryngology. Articles were included if they described the use of wearables that were designed for continuous wear and were available for consumer purchase in the United States. Articles meeting inclusion criteria were synthesized into a final narrative review. CONCLUSIONS In the perioperative setting, consumer wearables could facilitate prehabilitation before major surgery and prediction of clinical outcomes. The use of consumer wearables in the inpatient setting could allow for early recognition of parameters suggestive of poor or declining health. The real-time feedback provided by these devices in the remote setting could be incorporated into behavioral interventions to promote patients' engagement with healthy behaviors. Various concerns surrounding the privacy, ownership, and validity of wearable-derived data must be addressed before their widespread adoption in health care. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Understanding how to leverage the wealth of biometric data collected by consumer wearables to improve health outcomes will become a high-impact area of research and clinical care. Well-designed comparative studies that elucidate the value and clinical applicability of these data are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaan N Somani
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Katherine M Yu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Alexander G Chiu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Kevin J Sykes
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Jennifer A Villwock
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
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Belani S, Tiarks GC, Mookerjee N, Rajput V. "I Agree to Disagree": Comparative Ethical and Legal Analysis of Big Data and Genomics for Privacy, Consent, and Ownership. Cureus 2021; 13:e18736. [PMID: 34796049 PMCID: PMC8589338 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.18736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Statement of Purpose: Digital healthcare, as it relates to big data and genomics, presents a real threat to privacy and ownership rights for individuals and society. Research Question/Hypothesis: Our experience with genomics provides a lens to facilitate the way we navigate toward a future health data space. Contemporary and innovative legal and ethical models can be applied to concepts of privacy, ownership, and consent in relation to big data. Significance: Technological innovation has transformed healthcare at a faster rate than legal reform, security measures, and consent policies can adapt. The Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has been recognized as a work in progress, with respect to big data as it relates to healthcare and individual wellbeing. The shortcomings of HIPAA, and its application to big data, can be paralleled with its prior limitations surrounding genomics in the last two decades. The Genetic Information and Nondiscrimination Act (2008) and Genomic Data Sharing Policy (2015) were established to overcome HIPAA’s inadequacies concerning genetic discrimination and security. These policies can serve as a basic model for our approach to legislative reform as it relates to privacy risks with big data generated in healthcare and from healthy individuals in society who are not patients. In addition to notions of privacy, concepts of ownership and consent have become increasingly vague and opaque. The technological advancements have facilitated access and transmission of information, such that big data can be sold for financial gain for commercial enterprise. This applies to genomics, with companies like 23andMe, in addition to big data, as it relates to big tech giants like Apple or Google who oversee wearable and search term data. Clarity of ownership within a digital healthcare arena needs to be defined through ethical and legal frameworks at a global level. Approach: A narrative review of the literature published between 2010 and 2021 was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar. Articles discussing privacy, security, ownership, big data, and genomics were included as relevant literature. Importance: As a society, we are at a crossroads; we must determine the extent of privacy that we are willing to give for science and society. We cannot continue with the current status quo in hope that individual will be used for the greater good of society. We need to strive for a cohesive approach to combat privacy violations by encouraging legislative reform, ethical accountability, and individual responsibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seema Belani
- College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, USA
| | - Georgina C Tiarks
- College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Davie, USA
| | - Neil Mookerjee
- Medical Education, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, USA
| | - Vijay Rajput
- Medical Education, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, USA
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15
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Buhr L, Kaufmann PLM, Jörß K. Chronic Heart Failure Patients’ Attitudes towards Digital Device Data for Self-Documentation and Research in Germany: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study (Preprint). JMIR Cardio 2021; 6:e34959. [PMID: 35921134 PMCID: PMC9386578 DOI: 10.2196/34959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In recent years, the use of digital mobile measurement devices (DMMDs) for self-documentation in cardiovascular care in Western industrialized health care systems has increased. For patients with chronic heart failure (cHF), digital self-documentation plays an increasingly important role in self-management. Data from DMMDs can also be integrated into telemonitoring programs or data-intensive medical research to collect and evaluate patient-reported outcome measures through data sharing. However, the implementation of data-intensive devices and data sharing poses several challenges for doctors and patients as well as for the ethical governance of data-driven medical research. Objective This study aims to explore the potential and challenges of digital device data in cardiology research from patients’ perspectives. Leading research questions of the study concerned the attitudes of patients with cHF toward health-related data collected in the use of digital devices for self-documentation as well as sharing these data and consenting to data sharing for research purposes. Methods A cross-sectional survey of patients of a research in cardiology was conducted at a German university medical center (N=159) in 2020 (March to July). Eligible participants were German-speaking adult patients with cHF at that center. A pen-and-pencil questionnaire was sent by mail. Results Most participants (77/105, 73.3%) approved digital documentation, as they expected the device data to help them observe their body and its functions more objectively. Digital device data were believed to provide cognitive support, both for patients’ self-assessment and doctors’ evaluation of their patients’ current health condition. Interestingly, positive attitudes toward DMMD data providing cognitive support were, in particular, voiced by older patients aged >65 years. However, approximately half of the participants (56/105, 53.3%) also reported difficulty in dealing with self-documented data that lay outside the optimal medical target range. Furthermore, our findings revealed preferences for the self-management of DMMD data disclosed for data-intensive medical research among German patients with cHF, which are best implemented with a dynamic consent model. Conclusions Our findings provide potentially valuable insights for introducing DMMD in cardiovascular research in the German context. They have several practical implications, such as a high divergence in attitudes among patients with cHF toward different data-receiving organizations as well as a large variance in preferences for the modes of receiving information included in the consenting procedure for data sharing for research. We suggest addressing patients’ multiple views on consenting and data sharing in institutional normative governance frameworks for data-intensive medical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorina Buhr
- Department of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, University Medical Center Göttingen, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Faculty of Economics, Law and Social Sciences, University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany
| | - Pauline Lucie Martiana Kaufmann
- Department of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, University Medical Center Göttingen, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Katharina Jörß
- Department of Medical Informatics, University Medical Center Göttingen, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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16
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Nunes Vilaza G, Coyle D, Bardram JE. Public Attitudes to Digital Health Research Repositories: Cross-sectional International Survey. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e31294. [PMID: 34714253 PMCID: PMC8590194 DOI: 10.2196/31294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Digital health research repositories propose sharing longitudinal streams of health records and personal sensing data between multiple projects and researchers. Motivated by the prospect of personalizing patient care (precision medicine), these initiatives demand broad public acceptance and large numbers of data contributors, both of which are challenging. Objective This study investigates public attitudes toward possibly contributing to digital health research repositories to identify factors for their acceptance and to inform future developments. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted from March 2020 to December 2020. Because of the funded project scope and a multicenter collaboration, study recruitment targeted young adults in Denmark and Brazil, allowing an analysis of the differences between 2 very contrasting national contexts. Through closed-ended questions, the survey examined participants’ willingness to share different data types, data access preferences, reasons for concern, and motivations to contribute. The survey also collected information about participants’ demographics, level of interest in health topics, previous participation in health research, awareness of examples of existing research data repositories, and current attitudes about digital health research repositories. Data analysis consisted of descriptive frequency measures and statistical inferences (bivariate associations and logistic regressions). Results The sample comprises 1017 respondents living in Brazil (1017/1600, 63.56%) and 583 in Denmark (583/1600, 36.44%). The demographics do not differ substantially between participants of these countries. The majority is aged between 18 and 27 years (933/1600, 58.31%), is highly educated (992/1600, 62.00%), uses smartphones (1562/1600, 97.63%), and is in good health (1407/1600, 87.94%). The analysis shows a vast majority were very motivated by helping future patients (1366/1600, 85.38%) and researchers (1253/1600, 78.31%), yet very concerned about unethical projects (1219/1600, 76.19%), profit making without consent (1096/1600, 68.50%), and cyberattacks (1055/1600, 65.94%). Participants’ willingness to share data is lower when sharing personal sensing data, such as the content of calls and texts (1206/1600, 75.38%), in contrast to more traditional health research information. Only 13.44% (215/1600) find it desirable to grant data access to private companies, and most would like to stay informed about which projects use their data (1334/1600, 83.38%) and control future data access (1181/1600, 73.81%). Findings indicate that favorable attitudes toward digital health research repositories are related to a personal interest in health topics (odds ratio [OR] 1.49, 95% CI 1.10-2.02; P=.01), previous participation in health research studies (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.24-2.35; P=.001), and awareness of examples of research repositories (OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.83-4.38; P<.001). Conclusions This study reveals essential factors for acceptance and willingness to share personal data with digital health research repositories. Implications include the importance of being more transparent about the goals and beneficiaries of research projects using and re-using data from repositories, providing participants with greater autonomy for choosing who gets access to which parts of their data, and raising public awareness of the benefits of data sharing for research. In addition, future developments should engage with and reduce risks for those unwilling to participate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Nunes Vilaza
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - David Coyle
- School of Computer Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jakob Eyvind Bardram
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
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On General Data Protection Regulation Vulnerabilities and Privacy Issues, for Wearable Devices and Fitness Tracking Applications. CRYPTOGRAPHY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/cryptography5040029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Individual users’ sensitive information, such as heart rate, calories burned, or even sleep patterns, are casually tracked by smart wearable devices to be further processed or exchanged, utilizing the ubiquitous capabilities of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. This work aims to explore the existing literature on various data privacy concerns, posed by the use of wearable devices, and experimentally analyze the data exchanged through mobile applications, in order to identify the underlying privacy and security risks. Emulating a man-in-the-middle attack scenario, five different commercial fitness tracking bands are examined, in order to test and analyze all data transmitted by each vendor’s suggested applications. The amount of personal data collected, processed, and transmitted for advertising purposes was significant and, in some cases, highly affected the network’s total overhead. Some of the applications examined requested access for sensitive data driven device functionalities, such as messaging, phone calling, audio recording, and camera usage, without any clear or specific reason stated by their privacy policy. This paper concludes by listing the most critical aspects in terms of privacy and security concerning some of the most popular commercial fitness tracking applications.
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Choi H, Ahn S. Classifications, Changes, and Challenges of Online Health Information Seekers during COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18189495. [PMID: 34574422 PMCID: PMC8470139 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18189495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to explore consumers' experiences before and during the COVID-19 outbreak to improve public health by providing effective consumer health information. METHODS Interviews were conducted with 20 health information consumers who were 18 or older until data saturation was reached. The selected participants were among users of the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS). The data were collected before the COVID-19 outbreak (September 2014) and during the COVID-19 outbreak (October 2020) to describe experiences and changes before and during the pandemic. Data were analyzed according to the qualitative content analysis method. RESULTS As a result, 3 main domains and 10 subdomains were derived from classifications, changes, and challenges of online health information seekers. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study guide the understanding of health information seekers for the development of consumer-tailored health information systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Choi
- Department of Nursing Science, Nambu University, Gwang-ju 62271, Korea;
| | - Shinae Ahn
- Department of Nursing, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538, Korea
- Correspondence:
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Review of Wearable Devices and Data Collection Considerations for Connected Health. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21165589. [PMID: 34451032 PMCID: PMC8402237 DOI: 10.3390/s21165589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Wearable sensor technology has gradually extended its usability into a wide range of well-known applications. Wearable sensors can typically assess and quantify the wearer’s physiology and are commonly employed for human activity detection and quantified self-assessment. Wearable sensors are increasingly utilised to monitor patient health, rapidly assist with disease diagnosis, and help predict and often improve patient outcomes. Clinicians use various self-report questionnaires and well-known tests to report patient symptoms and assess their functional ability. These assessments are time consuming and costly and depend on subjective patient recall. Moreover, measurements may not accurately demonstrate the patient’s functional ability whilst at home. Wearable sensors can be used to detect and quantify specific movements in different applications. The volume of data collected by wearable sensors during long-term assessment of ambulatory movement can become immense in tuple size. This paper discusses current techniques used to track and record various human body movements, as well as techniques used to measure activity and sleep from long-term data collected by wearable technology devices.
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Brönneke JB, Müller J, Mouratis K, Hagen J, Stern AD. Regulatory, Legal, and Market Aspects of Smart Wearables for Cardiac Monitoring. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21144937. [PMID: 34300680 PMCID: PMC8309890 DOI: 10.3390/s21144937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
In the area of cardiac monitoring, the use of digitally driven technologies is on the rise. While the development of medical products is advancing rapidly, allowing for new use-cases in cardiac monitoring and other areas, regulatory and legal requirements that govern market access are often evolving slowly, sometimes creating market barriers. This article gives a brief overview of the existing clinical studies regarding the use of smart wearables in cardiac monitoring and provides insight into the main regulatory and legal aspects that need to be considered when such products are intended to be used in a health care setting. Based on this brief overview, the article elaborates on the specific requirements in the main areas of authorization/certification and reimbursement/compensation, as well as data protection and data security. Three case studies are presented as examples of specific market access procedures: the USA, Germany, and Belgium. This article concludes that, despite the differences in specific requirements, market access pathways in most countries are characterized by a number of similarities, which should be considered early on in product development. The article also elaborates on how regulatory and legal requirements are currently being adapted for digitally driven wearables and proposes an ongoing evolution of these requirements to facilitate market access for beneficial medical technology in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Benedikt Brönneke
- Health Innovation Hub, Torstr. 223, 10785 Berlin, Germany; (J.H.); (A.D.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Jennifer Müller
- Helios Health Institute, Helios Health, Friedrichstraße 136, 10117 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Konstantinos Mouratis
- Herzzentrum Leipzig, Universitätsklinik für Kardiologie, Strümpellstraße 39, 04289 Leipzig, Germany;
- Leipzig Heart Institute, Russenstraße 69a, 04289 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Julia Hagen
- Health Innovation Hub, Torstr. 223, 10785 Berlin, Germany; (J.H.); (A.D.S.)
| | - Ariel Dora Stern
- Health Innovation Hub, Torstr. 223, 10785 Berlin, Germany; (J.H.); (A.D.S.)
- Harvard Business School, Harvard University, Morgan Hall 433, Soldiers Field Road, Boston, MA 02163, USA
- Hasso-Plattner-Institute, Prof.-Dr.-Helmert-Straße 2-3, 14482 Potsdam, Germany
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21
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BSF-EHR: Blockchain Security Framework for Electronic Health Records of Patients. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21082865. [PMID: 33921738 PMCID: PMC8073400 DOI: 10.3390/s21082865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In the current epoch of smart homes and cities, personal data such as patients’ names, diseases and addresses are often violated. This is frequently associated with the safety of the electronic health records (EHRs) of patients. EHRs have numerous benefits worldwide, but at present, EHR information is subject to considerable security and privacy issues. This paper proposes a way to provide a secure solution to these issues. Previous sophisticated techniques dealing with the protection of EHRs usually make data inaccessible to patients. These techniques struggle to balance data confidentiality, patient demand and constant interaction with provider data. Blockchain technology solves the above problems since it distributes information in a transactional and decentralized manner. The usage of blockchain technology could help the health sector to balance the accessibility and privacy of EHRs. This paper proposes a blockchain security framework (BSF) to effectively and securely store and keep EHRs. It presents a safe and proficient means of acquiring medical information for doctors, patients and insurance agents while protecting the patient’s data. This work aims to examine how our proposed framework meets the security needs of doctors, patients and third parties and how the structure addresses safety and confidentiality concerns in the healthcare sector. Simulation outcomes show that this framework efficiently protects EHR data.
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Ilhan A, Fietkiewicz KJ. Data privacy-related behavior and concerns of activity tracking technology users from Germany and the USA. ASLIB J INFORM MANAG 2020. [DOI: 10.1108/ajim-03-2020-0067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PurposeThis investigation aims to examine the differences and similarities between activity tracking technology users from two regions (the USA and Germany) in their intended privacy-related behavior. The focus lies on data handling after hypothetical discontinuance of use, data protection and privacy policy seeking, and privacy concerns.Design/methodology/approachThe data was collected through an online survey in 2019. In order to identify significant differences between participants from Germany and the USA, the chi-squared test and the Mann–Whitney U test were applied.FindingsThe intensity of several privacy-related concerns was significantly different between the two groups. The majority of the participants did not inform themselves about the respective data privacy policies or terms and conditions before installing an activity tracking application. The majority of the German participants knew that they could request the deletion of all their collected data. In contrast, only 35% out of 68 participants from the US knew about this option.Research limitations/implicationsThis study intends to raise awareness about managing the collected health and fitness data after stopping to use activity tracking technologies. Furthermore, to reduce privacy and security concerns, the involvement of the government, companies and users is necessary to handle and share data more considerably and in a sustainable way.Originality/valueThis study sheds light on users of activity tracking technologies from a broad perspective (here, participants from the USA and Germany). It incorporates not only concerns and the privacy paradox but (intended) user behavior, including seeking information on data protection and privacy policy and handling data after hypothetical discontinuance of use of the technology.
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Reith R, Buck C, Eymann T, Lis B. Integrating Privacy Concerns Into the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology to Explain the Adoption of Fitness Trackers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1142/s0219877020500492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Connected fitness tracking devices enable various stakeholders to analyze sensitive personal information. Our investigation underlines the vital role of privacy concerns for the intention to use fitness trackers and support the integration into the nomological structure of UTAUT. The results show strong influences of privacy concerns, subjective norm and performance expectancy on the intention to use fitness tracking devices. While performance expectancy is not the strongest predictor anymore, effort expectancy does not show a significant influence on the intention to use fitness tracking devices. The proposed research model enhances the privacy calculus theory and provides essential theoretical and practical implications.
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Lu L, Zhang J, Xie Y, Gao F, Xu S, Wu X, Ye Z. Wearable Health Devices in Health Care: Narrative Systematic Review. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2020; 8:e18907. [PMID: 33164904 PMCID: PMC7683248 DOI: 10.2196/18907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the rise of mobile medicine, the development of new technologies such as smart sensing, and the popularization of personalized health concepts, the field of smart wearable devices has developed rapidly in recent years. Among them, medical wearable devices have become one of the most promising fields. These intelligent devices not only assist people in pursuing a healthier lifestyle but also provide a constant stream of health care data for disease diagnosis and treatment by actively recording physiological parameters and tracking metabolic status. Therefore, wearable medical devices have the potential to become a mainstay of the future mobile medical market. OBJECTIVE Although previous reviews have discussed consumer trends in wearable electronics and the application of wearable technology in recreational and sporting activities, data on broad clinical usefulness are lacking. We aimed to review the current application of wearable devices in health care while highlighting shortcomings for further research. In addition to daily health and safety monitoring, the focus of our work was mainly on the use of wearable devices in clinical practice. METHODS We conducted a narrative review of the use of wearable devices in health care settings by searching papers in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library published since October 2015. Potentially relevant papers were then compared to determine their relevance and reviewed independently for inclusion. RESULTS A total of 82 relevant papers drawn from 960 papers on the subject of wearable devices in health care settings were qualitatively analyzed, and the information was synthesized. Our review shows that the wearable medical devices developed so far have been designed for use on all parts of the human body, including the head, limbs, and torso. These devices can be classified into 4 application areas: (1) health and safety monitoring, (2) chronic disease management, (3) disease diagnosis and treatment, and (4) rehabilitation. However, the wearable medical device industry currently faces several important limitations that prevent further use of wearable technology in medical practice, such as difficulties in achieving user-friendly solutions, security and privacy concerns, the lack of industry standards, and various technical bottlenecks. CONCLUSIONS We predict that with the development of science and technology and the popularization of personalized health concepts, wearable devices will play a greater role in the field of health care and become better integrated into people's daily lives. However, more research is needed to explore further applications of wearable devices in the medical field. We hope that this review can provide a useful reference for the development of wearable medical devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Lu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiayao Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Xie
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Fei Gao
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Song Xu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinghuo Wu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhewei Ye
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES To survey international regulatory frameworks that serve to protect privacy of personal data as a human right as well as to review the literature regarding privacy protections and data ownership in mobile health (mHealth) technologies between January 1, 2016 and June 1, 2019 in order to identify common themes. METHODS We performed a review of relevant literature available in English published between January 1, 2016 and June 1, 2019 from databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, as well as relevant legislative background material. Articles out of scope (as detailed below) were eliminated. We categorized the remaining pool of articles and discrete themes were identified, specifically: concerns around data transmission and storage, including data ownership and the ability to re-identify previously de-identified data; issues with user consent (including the availability of appropriate privacy policies) and access control; and the changing culture and variable global attitudes toward privacy of health data. RESULTS Recent literature demonstrates that the security of mHealth data storage and transmission remains of wide concern, and aggregated data that were previously considered "de-identified" have now been demonstrated to be re-identifiable. Consumer-informed consent may be lacking with regard to mHealth applications due to the absence of a privacy policy and/or to text that is too complex and lengthy for most users to comprehend. The literature surveyed emphasizes improved access control strategies. This survey also illustrates a wide variety of global user perceptions regarding health data privacy. CONCLUSION The international regulatory framework that serves to protect privacy of personal data as a human right is diverse. Given the challenges legislators face to keep up with rapidly advancing technology, we introduce the concept of a "healthcare fiduciary" to serve the best interest of data subjects in the current environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah K. Galvin
- Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Paul R. DeMuro
- Chief Legal Officer Health and Wellness, Royal Palm Companies, Miami, Florida
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Fifteen Years of Wireless Sensors for Balance Assessment in Neurological Disorders. SENSORS 2020; 20:s20113247. [PMID: 32517315 PMCID: PMC7308812 DOI: 10.3390/s20113247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Balance impairment is a major mechanism behind falling along with environmental hazards. Under physiological conditions, ageing leads to a progressive decline in balance control per se. Moreover, various neurological disorders further increase the risk of falls by deteriorating specific nervous system functions contributing to balance. Over the last 15 years, significant advancements in technology have provided wearable solutions for balance evaluation and the management of postural instability in patients with neurological disorders. This narrative review aims to address the topic of balance and wireless sensors in several neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and other neurodegenerative and acute clinical syndromes. The review discusses the physiological and pathophysiological bases of balance in neurological disorders as well as the traditional and innovative instruments currently available for balance assessment. The technical and clinical perspectives of wearable technologies, as well as current challenges in the field of teleneurology, are also examined.
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