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Psychiatric relapse following a phone app intervention: A case report. Psychiatry Res 2021; 298:113766. [PMID: 33548692 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Alyami AH, Alswat MM, Omer IA, Ahmed MEH, Alshammari SH, Alsaggaf KW, Amoudi JH, Aljafari DA. General population knowledge about osteoarthritis and its related risk factors in Jeddah Saudi Arabia. Saudi Med J 2021; 41:516-523. [PMID: 32373919 PMCID: PMC7253844 DOI: 10.15537/smj.2020.5.25061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: To identify the knowledge gap and misconceptions about osteoarthritis (OA) and its risk factors among the general population of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between 11-13 April, 2019. The study was approved by King Abdullah International Medical Research Center. A representative sample of the public in well-known mall was asked to complete the questionnaire to assess their knowledge regarding OA. The questionnaire consisted of 3 parts: 1) demographic data, 2) general knowledge regarding OA, and 3) a quiz of 20 questions. A descriptive analysis was carried out with t-test and F-test-based method. Results: The study had 1238 respondents. Approximately 55% of them were females, with 51.8% between the ages of 18 to 29. Approximately 62% held a bachelor’s degree and 63% had a family member or a friend afflicted with OA. Relatives and friends were the main source of information regarding OA. Only 37% correctly identified the mechanism behind OA. The mean score for the 20-item quiz was 9.84. No significant differences were found when comparing scores of males and females or those of age groups. However, significant differences in scores were identified between respondents of varying educational levels (p<0.001), participants’ knowledge of the mechanism leading to OA (p<0.001), information sources (p<0.001), and knowing someone with it (p<0.001). Conclusion: The results of our study suggest a low level of knowledge regarding OA among Jeddah population. Many misconceptions regarding OA were identified, so more information be brought to the public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali H Alyami
- Orthopedic Division, Department of Surgery, Ministry of the National Guard-Health Affairs, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. E-mail.
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Schultchen D, Terhorst Y, Holderied T, Stach M, Messner EM, Baumeister H, Sander LB. Stay Present with Your Phone: A Systematic Review and Standardized Rating of Mindfulness Apps in European App Stores. Int J Behav Med 2020; 28:552-560. [PMID: 33215348 PMCID: PMC8384800 DOI: 10.1007/s12529-020-09944-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mindfulness-based interventions show positive effects on physical and mental health. For a better integration of mindfulness techniques in daily life, the use of apps may be promising. However, only a few studies have examined the quality of mindfulness apps using a validated standardized instrument. This review aims to evaluate the content, quality, and privacy features of mindfulness-focused apps from European commercial app stores. METHODS An automated search engine (webcrawler) was used to identify mindfulness-focused apps in the European Apple App- and Google Play store. Content, quality, and privacy features were evaluated by two independent reviewers using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). The MARS assesses the subscales engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information quality. RESULTS Out of 605 identified apps, 192 met the inclusion criteria. The overall quality was moderate (M = 3.66, SD = 0.48). Seven apps were tested in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Most of the apps showed a lack of data security and no privacy policy. The five apps with the highest ratings are from a credible source, include a privacy policy, and are also based on standardized mindfulness and behavior change techniques. CONCLUSIONS The plethora of often low-quality apps in commercial app stores makes it difficult for users to identify a suitable app. Above that, the lack of scientific verification of effectiveness and shortcomings in privacy protection and security poses potential risks. So far, the potential of mindfulness-focused apps is not exploited in commercial app stores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Schultchen
- Clinical and Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 41, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Yannik Terhorst
- Research Methods, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, Ulm, Germany.,Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, Ulm, Germany
| | - Tanja Holderied
- Clinical and Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 41, Ulm, Germany
| | - Michael Stach
- Institute of Databases and Information Systems, Ulm University, James-Franck-Ring, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Eva-Maria Messner
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, Ulm, Germany
| | - Harald Baumeister
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, Ulm, Germany
| | - Lasse B Sander
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Psychotherapy, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Engelbersger Str. 41, 79085, Freiburg, Germany
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Jiménez-Muñoz L, Gutiérrez-Rojas L, Porras-Segovia A, Courtet P, Baca-García E. Mobile applications for the management of chronic physical conditions: A systematic review. Intern Med J 2020; 52:21-29. [PMID: 33012045 DOI: 10.1111/imj.15081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic physical conditions (CPCs) decrease the quality of life of millions of people. In the absence of curative treatments, maintaining healthy lifestyle habits is one of the main pillars in their clinical management. Mobile-based interventions may help patients take care of their health and follow medical recommendations. The purpose of this review is to summarize the latest evidence about mobile phone applications (apps) for the management of CPC. METHODS We performed a systematic search of the PubMed and EMBASE databases to identify articles that explored apps for the management of CPCs, testing the apps empirically, and providing clear outputs on effectiveness and/or feasibility. 3528 articles were identified in the initial search. Following screening and selection process, 20 articles were finally included in the review. RESULTS Mobile apps for CPC are very heterogeneous. The condition with the greater number of apps available was diabetes, followed by cardiovascular diseases. Results of feasibility were generally positive, with high rates of study completion and user engagement. Some studies used incentives, monetary of otherwise. Some of the apps have been tested in randomized clinical trials showing effectiveness in improving symptoms and/or controlling analytical parameters. CONCLUSIONS Mobile apps are promising tools for the management of CPCs. Some apps have been sufficiently tested to propose their implementation in clinical practice. However, several barriers exist that can slow down the routine use of new technologies in healthcare settings. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Jiménez-Muñoz
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Jimenez Diaz Foundation, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, Jimenez Diaz Foundation Health Research Institute (IIS), Madrid, Spain.,Madrid Autonomous University, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Alejandro Porras-Segovia
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Jimenez Diaz Foundation, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, Jimenez Diaz Foundation Health Research Institute (IIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Philippe Courtet
- University of Montpellier, France.,Department of Psychiatric Emergency and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, Montpellier, France
| | - Enrique Baca-García
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Jimenez Diaz Foundation, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, Jimenez Diaz Foundation Health Research Institute (IIS), Madrid, Spain.,Psychiatry Department, University of Granada, Spain.,CIBERSAM (Centro de Investigación en Salud Mental), Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain.,Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile.,Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Rey Juan Carlos, Mostoles, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, General Hospital of Villalba, Madrid, Spain.,Deparment of Psychiatry, University Hospital Infanta Elena, Valdemoro, Spain
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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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Jose J. Communication on drug safety-related matters to patients: is it even more significant in this digital era? Ther Adv Drug Saf 2020; 11:2042098620915057. [PMID: 32313618 PMCID: PMC7153172 DOI: 10.1177/2042098620915057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jimmy Jose
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy and Nursing, University of Nizwa, Birkat Al Mouz, PB 33, PO 616, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman
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Atmann O, Linde K, Werner C, Dorn U, Schneider A. Participation factors for asthma education programs - a cross sectional survey. BMC Pulm Med 2019; 19:256. [PMID: 31856782 PMCID: PMC6923865 DOI: 10.1186/s12890-019-0979-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although the impact of asthma education on important outcomes (e.g. emergency visits) has been well established, only an estimated quarter of asthma patients in Germany have received patient education yet. The aim of the study was to identify patient factors that could increase participation in asthma education programs. Methods This cross-sectional study investigated participation factors and differences between trained (n = 64) and untrained (n = 65) asthma patients from a large outpatient center in Germany. The survey included answers to asthma-related questions and open questions on patient education as well as such about knowledge of health literacy and eHealth. Results Mean age of participants was 55 ± 19 years and 61% were female. Trained patients were more likely to participate in disease management programs (odds ratio (OR) 6.85; 95%CI 2.17–21.59), were more frequently non-smokers (OR 0.07; 95%CI 0.01–0.85) and more often had an asthma action plan (OR 20.2; 1.55–263.41). Open questions’ analysis of untrained asthma patients revealed that patients felt they were not adequately informed about asthma education (37%). About one-third of all patients (27%) showed openness to online asthma education. Analysis of HL and eHealth showed no difference between the groups. Conclusion Untrained asthma patients should be informed even more intensively by their physicians about the importance and value of asthma education. Asthma education does not seem to benefit patients’ health literacy. Online asthma education is of interest to approximately one-third of asthma patients. This should be motivation to develop and implement online asthma education concepts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oxana Atmann
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine, Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, Orleansstrasse 47, 81667, Munich, Germany.
| | - Klaus Linde
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine, Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, Orleansstrasse 47, 81667, Munich, Germany
| | - Christoph Werner
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine, Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, Orleansstrasse 47, 81667, Munich, Germany
| | - Ulrike Dorn
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine, Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, Orleansstrasse 47, 81667, Munich, Germany
| | - Antonius Schneider
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine, Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, Orleansstrasse 47, 81667, Munich, Germany
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Chouvarda I, Mountford N, Trajkovik V, Loncar-Turukalo T, Cusack T. Leveraging Interdisciplinary Education Toward Securing the Future of Connected Health Research in Europe: Qualitative Study. J Med Internet Res 2019; 21:e14020. [PMID: 31719026 PMCID: PMC6881783 DOI: 10.2196/14020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 09/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Connected health (CH) technologies have resulted in a paradigm shift, moving health care steadily toward a more patient-centered delivery approach. CH requires a broad range of disciplinary expertise from across the spectrum to work in a cohesive and productive way. Building this interdisciplinary relationship at an earlier stage of career development may nurture and accelerate the CH developments and innovations required for future health care. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore the perceptions of interdisciplinary CH researchers regarding the design and delivery of an interdisciplinary education (IDE) module for disciplines currently engaged in CH research (engineers, computer scientists, health care practitioners, and policy makers). This study also investigated whether this module should be delivered as a taught component of an undergraduate, master's, or doctoral program to facilitate the development of interdisciplinary learning. METHODS A qualitative, cross-institutional, multistage research approach was adopted, which involved a background study of fundamental concepts, individual interviews with CH researchers in Greece (n=9), and two structured group feedback sessions with CH researchers in Ireland (n=10/16). Thematic analysis was used to identify the themes emerging from the interviews and structured group feedback sessions. RESULTS A total of two sets of findings emerged from the data. In the first instance, challenges to interdisciplinary work were identified, including communication challenges, divergent awareness of state-of-the-art CH technologies across disciplines, and cultural resistance to interdisciplinarity. The second set of findings were related to the design for interdisciplinarity. In this regard, the need to link research and education with real-world practice emerged as a key design concern. Positioning within the program context was also considered to be important with a need to balance early intervention to embed integration with later repeat interventions that maximize opportunities to share skills and experiences. CONCLUSIONS The authors raise and address challenges to interdisciplinary program design for CH based on an abductive approach combining interdisciplinary and interprofessional education literature and the collection of qualitative data. This recipe approach for interdisciplinary design offers guidelines for policy makers, educators, and innovators in the CH space. Gaining insight from CH researchers regarding the development of an IDE module has offered the designers a novel insight regarding the curriculum, timing, delivery, and potential challenges that may be encountered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna Chouvarda
- Lab of Computing, Medical Informatics & Biomedical Imaging Technologies, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nicola Mountford
- School of Business, Maynooth University, Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland
| | - Vladimir Trajkovik
- Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering, Saints Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
| | | | - Tara Cusack
- Health Sciences Centre, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Atmann O, Werner C, Linde K, Schneider A. Health literacy and eHealth among adult asthma patients - results of a cross sectional survey. J Asthma 2019; 58:262-270. [PMID: 31621438 DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2019.1672720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Background: To investigate HL (health literacy) and eHealth literacy (eHL) among two groups of asthma outpatients, those with prior asthma education and those without. In addition, we aimed to compare two shortened versions of a HL measure instrument.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of adult asthma patients (n = 129). Half of them had received asthma patient education prior to the study (n = 64). The study collected demographic data, questions on HL (HLS-EU-Q16) and eHL (eHEALS).Results: In the main analysis respondents' mean HL values were almost identical in both groups, 11.9 (SD = 3.1) among trained and 11.8 (SD = 3.5) among untrained patients, demonstrating a problematic level of HL, according to the instrument. In the subdivision of sum scores, the HL level of trained patients was categorized more often as problematic (43%) than among untrained patients (20%). Bland-Altman plots of the 6-item and 16-item versions of the HLS-EU suggest only limited agreement between the versions. In terms of eHL, trained patients showed a mean of 3.0 (SD = 1.1) and untrained patients a mean of 3.2 (SD = 1.0). Analysis of HL and eHL showed no difference between groups.Conclusions: No consistent differences between groups were found, suggesting that trained patients did not benefit from asthma education regarding HL and eHL. The 6-item and 16-item versions of the HLS-EU were not easily interchangeable, limiting its use in a busy outpatient practice.AbbreviationseHEALSElectronic Health Literacy ScaleeHLElectronic Health Literacy HLS-EUEuropean Health Literacy Survey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oxana Atmann
- TUM School of Medicine, Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Christoph Werner
- TUM School of Medicine, Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Klaus Linde
- TUM School of Medicine, Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Antonius Schneider
- TUM School of Medicine, Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Karampela M, Isomursu M, Porat T, Maramis C, Mountford N, Giunti G, Chouvarda I, Lehocki F. The Extent and Coverage of Current Knowledge of Connected Health: Systematic Mapping Study. J Med Internet Res 2019; 21:e14394. [PMID: 31573915 PMCID: PMC6785722 DOI: 10.2196/14394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 07/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background This study examines the development of the connected health (CH) research landscape with a view to providing an overview of the existing CH research. The research field of CH has experienced rapid growth coinciding with increasing pressure on health care systems to become more proactive and patient centered. Objective This study aimed to assess the extent and coverage of the current body of knowledge in CH. In doing so, we sought to identify specific topics that have drawn the attention of CH researchers and to identify research gaps, in particular those offering opportunities for further interdisciplinary research. Methods A systematic mapping study that combined scientific contributions from research in the disciplines of medicine, business, computer science, and engineering was used. Overall, seven classification criteria were used to analyze the papers, including publication source, publication year, research type, empirical type, contribution type, research topic, and the medical condition studied. Results The search resulted in 208 papers that were analyzed by a multidisciplinary group of researchers. The results indicated a slow start for CH research but showed a more recent steady upswing since 2013. The majority of papers proposed health care solutions (77/208, 37.0%) or evaluated CH approaches (49/208, 23.5%). Case studies (59/208, 28.3%) and experiments (55/208, 26.4%) were the most popular forms of scientific validation used. Diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and heart conditions were among the most prevalent medical conditions studied. Conclusions We conclude that CH research has become an established field of research that has grown over the last five years. The results of this study indicate a focus on technology-driven research with a strong contribution from medicine, whereas the business aspects of CH have received less research attention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Talya Porat
- Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | - Fedor Lehocki
- Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Langarizadeh M, Moghbeli F, Aliabadi A. Application of Ethics for Providing Telemedicine Services and Information Technology. Med Arch 2017; 71:351-355. [PMID: 29284905 PMCID: PMC5723167 DOI: 10.5455/medarh.2017.71.351-355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Advanced technology has increased the use of telemedicine and Information Technology (IT) in treating or rehabilitating diseases. An increased use of technology increases the importance of the ethical issues involved. The need for keeping patients' information confidential and secure, controlling a number of therapists' inefficiency as well as raising the quality of healthcare services necessitates adequate heed to ethical issues in telemedicine provision. AIM The goal of this review is gathering all articles that are published through 5 years until now (2012-2017) for detecting ethical issues for providing telemedicine services and Information technology. The reason of this time is improvement of telemedicine and technology through these years. This article is important for clinical practice and also to world, because of knowing ethical issues in telemedicine and technology are always important factors for physician and health providers. MATERIAL AND METHODS the required data in this research were derived from published electronic sources and credible academic articles published in such databases as PubMed, Scopus and Science Direct. The following key words were searched for in separation and combination: tele-health, telemedicine, ethical issues in telemedicine. A total of 503 articles were found. After excluding the duplicates (n= 93), the titles and abstracts of 410 articles were skimmed according to the inclusion criteria. Finally, 64 articles remained. They were reviewed in full text and 36 articles were excluded. At the end, 28 articles were chosen which met our eligibility criteria and were included in this study. RESULTS Ethics has been of a great significance in IT and telemedicine especially the Internet since there are more chances provided for accessing information. It is, however, accompanied by a threat to patients' personal information. Therefore, suggestions are made to investigate ethics in technology, to offer standards and guidelines to therapists. Due to the advancement in technology, access to information has become simpler than the past. This has prompted hackers to seize the opportunity. DISCUSSION This research shows that the ethical issues in telemedicine can be investigated from several aspects like technology, doctor-patient relationship, data confidentiality and security, informed consent, patient's and family's satisfaction with telemedicine services. Following ethical issues in telemedicine is a primary aspect of high quality services. In other words, if therapists abide by ethical rules, they can provide better services for patients. Attention to ethical issues in telemedicine guarantees a safer use of the services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa Langarizadeh
- Department of Health Information Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Moghbeli
- Department of Health Information Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Aliabadi
- Department of Health Information Technology Paramedics School, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran
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The effect of Dr Google on doctor-patient encounters in primary care: a quantitative, observational, cross-sectional study. BJGP Open 2017; 1:bjgpopen17X100833. [PMID: 30564661 PMCID: PMC6169945 DOI: 10.3399/bjgpopen17x100833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Two-thirds of all patients search the internet prior to a health consultation. Aim To explore how searching for online health information before visiting a doctor influences patients’ behaviour during the consultation. Design & setting A quantitative, observational, and cross-sectional study of 18–75-year-old patients who used the internet. Method Patients were recruited by social media for the quantitative study. This was followed by a qualitiative study of GPs who were questioned in focus groups. Two questions were addressed: What is the effect of searching online health information on the behaviour of the patients? How does the GP handle this information? Results Almost half of all responders (total n = 963) usually went to the doctor after the online information search but two-thirds were not reassured by the internet search. More than half of responders had more confidence in their GP after searching online. The older the responders, the more they went to the doctor after their internet search and the younger the responders, the more they were worried. The more frequently people consulted the internet for specific complaints, the more likely they reported reassurance. Discussion Patients usually made an appointment with their GP after the internet search. New symptoms are rarely noticed and the search usually did not lead patients to distrust their GP. The majority of GPs described positive effects of the online search behaviour on the consultation. Conclusion The emerging use of the internet for searching health information, commonly referred to as 'Dr Google', is not seen as a threat by GPs and leads to a better mutual understanding of symptoms and diagnosis.
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