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Bahari G, Mutambik I, Almuqrin A, Alharbi ZH. Trust: How It Affects the Use of Telemedicine in Improving Access to Assistive Technology to Enhance Healthcare Services. Risk Manag Healthc Policy 2024; 17:1859-1873. [PMID: 39072188 PMCID: PMC11283829 DOI: 10.2147/rmhp.s469324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Modern telemedicine (TM) technologies play a crucial role in enhancing access to Assistive Technology in healthcare services. However, the full benefits of this technology will not be realized unless it is widely accepted among service users (patients). This study aimed to investigate the impact of patient trust and perceived risk on the acceptance of TM for Assistive Technology in healthcare. Materials and Methods A comprehensive survey instrument was developed and refined through expert feedback and a pilot study, leading to data collection from 917 participants. The theoretical framework guiding this research was based on the Trust factors in TM, which helped in conceptualizing the factors influencing patient acceptance of TM. Results The study revealed a significant gap in patient trust in TM and highlighted the multifaceted nature of perceived risk, emphasizing the need to consider individual risk factors separately. Results also indicated that trust in technological reliability and the perceived effectiveness of TM were critical factors influencing its adoption. The findings underscore the importance of building trust among service users and promoting the reliability of TM for achieving desirable medical outcomes. Conclusion In conclusion, to facilitate widespread acceptance of TM for Assistive Technology, a multi-faceted approach involving healthcare providers, organizations, and governments is essential to address patient concerns, enhance trust, and promote the benefits of this technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghareeb Bahari
- Nursing Administration and Education Department, College of Nursing, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibrahim Mutambik
- Department of Information Science, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah Almuqrin
- Department of Information Science, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zahyah H Alharbi
- Department of Management Information Systems, College of Business Administration, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Krämer D, Brachem E, Schneider-Reuter L, D'Angelo I, Vollmann J, Haltaufderheide J. The Role of Transparency in Digital Contact Tracing During COVID-19: Insights from an Expert Survey. HEALTH CARE ANALYSIS 2024:10.1007/s10728-024-00485-z. [PMID: 38909332 DOI: 10.1007/s10728-024-00485-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
Health technologies such as apps for digital contract tracing [DCT] played a crucial role in containing and combating infections during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their primary function was to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 by consistently generating and disseminating information related to various events such as encounters, vaccinations or infections. While the functionality of DCT has been well researched, the necessity of transparency in the use of DCT and the consent to share sensitive information such as users' health, vaccination and location status remains unclear. On one hand, DCT enabled the continuous monitoring of various risk factors, including data-based calculations of infection probabilities. On the other hand, digital monitoring of health risks was closely associated with various uncertainties, such as the ambiguous storage of personal data and its potential future misuse, e.g., by tech companies or health authorities. Our contribution aims to retrospectively analyze the COVID-19 pandemic from a post-pandemic perspective and utilize it as a case study for the implementation of new technological measures. We argue that under the condition of voluntary use of DCT, transparency plays a key role in convincing individuals to install health technologies on their mobile devices, keep them activated and consent to the sharing of sensitive data. We support our argument with qualitative data from an expert survey conducted between 2020 and 2021 and analyzed according to the principles of Grounded Theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Krämer
- Faculty of Education and Social Sciences, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
| | | | | | - Isabella D'Angelo
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University Witten-Herdecke, Witten, Germany
| | - Jochen Vollmann
- Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Tzivian L, Benis A, Rusakova A, Syundyukov E, Seidmann A, Ophir Y. International scientific communication on COVID-19 data: management pitfalls understanding. J Public Health (Oxf) 2024; 46:87-96. [PMID: 38141038 DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdad277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the pandemic, countries utilized various forms of statistical estimations of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) impact. Differences between databases make direct comparisons and interpretations of data in different countries a challenge. We evaluated country-specific approaches to COVID-19 data and recommended changes that would improve future international collaborations. METHODS We compared the COVID-19 reports presented on official UK (National Health System), Israeli (Department of Health), Latvian (Center for Disease Prevention and Control) and USA (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) health authorities' websites. RESULTS Our analysis demonstrated critical differences in the ways COVID-19 statistics were made available to the general and scientific communities. Specifically, the differences in approaches were found in the presentation of the number of infected cases and tests, and percentage of positive cases, the number of severe cases, the number of vaccinated, and the number and percent of deaths. CONCLUSION Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reusability principles could guide the development of essential global standards that provide a basis for communication within and outside of the scientific community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian Tzivian
- Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine, University of Latvia, Riga LV-1586, Latvia
| | - Arriel Benis
- Digital Medical Technologies Department, Holon Institute of Technology, Holon 5810201, Israel
| | - Agnese Rusakova
- Faculty of Education, Psychology and Arts, University of Latvia, Riga LV-1586, Latvia
| | - Emil Syundyukov
- Longenesis Ltd, Riga LV-1010, Latvia
- Faculty of Computing, University of Latvia LV-1586, Riga, Latvia
| | - Abraham Seidmann
- Questrom Business School, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Health Analytics and Digital Health, Digital Business Institute, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Yotam Ophir
- Department of Communication, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
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Ding Y, Wu L, Peng Z, Liu B. Temporal and Spatial Analysis of Negative Emotions in China during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:113. [PMID: 38392466 PMCID: PMC10886170 DOI: 10.3390/bs14020113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
This research aims to explore the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of negative emotions in mainland China during different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and the external factors influencing this clustering. Using Baidu Index data for 91 negative emotion keywords, a retrospective geographic analysis was conducted across Chinese provinces from 14 October 2019 to 7 July 2022. Four spatial analysis methods (Global Moran's Index, Local Moran's Index, Bivariate Global Moran's Index, and Bivariate Local Moran's Index) are employed to identify potential clustering patterns and influencing factors of negative emotions at different stages. The results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly intensified the clustering effect of negative emotions in China, particularly with a more pronounced radiation effect in northwestern provinces. Spatial positive correlations are observed between pandemic-related Baidu indices (pandemic Baidu index, government Baidu index, nucleic acid Baidu index) and negative emotions. These findings contribute to understanding the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of negative emotions in China post the COVID-19 outbreak and can guide the allocation of psychological resources during emergencies, thereby promoting social stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yating Ding
- School of Sociology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Lin Wu
- School of Sociology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zijian Peng
- School of Sociology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Bo Liu
- School of Philosophy and Sociology, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
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Fox G, van der Werff L, Rosati P, Lynn T. Investigating Citizens' Acceptance of Contact Tracing Apps: Quantitative Study of the Role of Trust and Privacy. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2024; 12:e48700. [PMID: 38085914 PMCID: PMC10835590 DOI: 10.2196/48700] [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: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need to understand citizen acceptance of health surveillance technologies such as contact tracing (CT) apps. Indeed, the success of these apps required widespread public acceptance and the alleviation of concerns about privacy, surveillance, and trust. OBJECTIVE This study aims to examine the factors that foster a sense of trust and a perception of privacy in CT apps. Our study also investigates how trust and perceived privacy influence citizens' willingness to adopt, disclose personal data, and continue to use these apps. METHODS Drawing on privacy calculus and procedural fairness theories, we developed a model of the antecedents and behavioral intentions related to trust and privacy perceptions. We used structural equation modeling to test our hypotheses on a data set collected at 2 time points (before and after the launch of a national CT app). The sample consisted of 405 Irish residents. RESULTS Trust in CT apps was positively influenced by propensity to trust technology (β=.074; P=.006), perceived need for surveillance (β=.119; P<.001), and perceptions of government motives (β=.671; P<.001) and negatively influenced by perceived invasion (β=-.224; P<.001). Perceived privacy was positively influenced by trust (β=.466; P<.001) and perceived control (β=.451; P<.001) and negatively influenced by perceived invasion (β=-.165; P<.001). Prelaunch intentions toward adoption were influenced by trust (β=.590; P<.001) and perceived privacy (β=.247; P<.001). Prelaunch intentions to disclose personal data to the app were also influenced by trust (β=.215; P<.001) and perceived privacy (β=.208; P<.001) as well as adoption intentions before the launch (β=.550; P<.001). However, postlaunch intentions to use the app were directly influenced by prelaunch intentions (β=.530; P<.001), but trust and perceived privacy only had an indirect influence. Finally, with regard to intentions to disclose after the launch, use intentions after the launch (β=.665; P<.001) and trust (β=.215; P<.001) had a direct influence, but perceived privacy only had an indirect influence. The proposed model explained 74.4% of variance in trust, 91% of variance in perceived privacy, 66.6% of variance in prelaunch adoption intentions, 45.9% of variance in postlaunch use intentions, and 83.9% and 79.4% of variance in willingness to disclose before the launch and after the launch, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Positive perceptions of trust and privacy can be fostered through clear communication regarding the need and motives for CT apps, the level of control citizens maintain, and measures to limit invasive data practice. By engendering these positive beliefs before launch and reinforcing them after launch, citizens may be more likely to accept and use CT apps. These insights are important for the launch of future apps and technologies that require mass acceptance and information disclosure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Fox
- Irish Institute of Digital Business, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Lisa van der Werff
- Irish Institute of Digital Business, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Pierangelo Rosati
- J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Theo Lynn
- Irish Institute of Digital Business, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
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Sujarwoto S, Maharani A. Facilitators and barriers to the adoption of mHealth apps for COVID-19 contact tracing: a systematic review of the literature. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1222600. [PMID: 38145061 PMCID: PMC10740170 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1222600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Despite the enormous potential of mobile health (mHealth) apps for COVID-19 contact tracing, the adoption rate in most countries remains low. Thus, the objective of the current study is to identify facilitators and barriers of mHealth apps adoption for COVID-19 contact tracing based on existing studies. Methods We conducted a systematic review of mHealth studies before December 2021 that evaluate facilitators and barriers associated with the adoption of mHealth apps for COVID-19 contact tracing. We assessed the risk of bias for all included studies using the Cochrane tool. We based our narrative synthesis on the facilitators-barriers to the adoption of mHealth framework comprising seven key factors. Results A total of 27 articles were reviewed from 16 countries representing high income countries (France, German, Italy, United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Singapore, Belgium, Republic Ireland, Netherland, Poland, and Japan), middle-income countries (Fiji), and low-middle income countries (India). We identified the main facilitators of mHealth adoption: perceived risks to COVID-19, trust, perceived benefit, social norm, and technology readiness. The main barriers of mHealth adoption were data privacy/security concerns. Among sociodemographic factors, females, lower education, lower-income, and older individual are barriers to adoption in low-middle income countries, while most of those factors were not significantly associated with adoption in a high-income country. Conclusion The findings imply that resolving data privacy/security issues while developing trust, perceived benefits, social norms, and technology preparedness could be effective strategies for increasing adoption intentions and app use among the general public. In low-middle-income countries, addressing digital divide is critical to the app's adoption.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=249500, identifier RD42021249500 (PROSPERO).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujarwoto Sujarwoto
- Portsmouth Brawijaya Center for Global Health, Population and Policy and Department of Public Administration, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
| | - Asri Maharani
- Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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Kuo KM. Antecedents predicting digital contact tracing acceptance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2023; 23:212. [PMID: 37821864 PMCID: PMC10568897 DOI: 10.1186/s12911-023-02313-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
An awareness of antecedents of acceptance of digital contact tracing (DCT) can enable healthcare authorities to design appropriate strategies for fighting COVID-19 or other infectious diseases that may emerge in the future. However, mixed results about these antecedents are frequently reported. Most prior DCT acceptance review studies lack statistical synthesis of their results. This study aims to undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of antecedents of DCT acceptance and investigate potential moderators of these antecedents. By searching multiple databases and filtering studies by using both inclusion and exclusion criteria, 76 and 25 studies were included for systematic review and meta-analysis, respectively. Random-effects models were chosen to estimate meta-analysis results since Q, I 2, and H index signified some degree of heterogeneity. Fail-safe N was used to assess publication bias. Most DCT acceptance studies have focused on DCT related factors. Included antecedents are all significant predictors of DCT acceptance except for privacy concerns and fear of COVID-19. Subgroup analysis showed that individualism/collectivism moderate the relationships between norms/privacy concerns and intention to use DCT. Based on the results, the mean effect size of antecedents of DCT acceptance and the potential moderators may be more clearly identified. Appropriate strategies for boosting the DCT acceptance rate can be proposed accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuang-Ming Kuo
- Department of Business Management, National United University, No.1, 360301, Lienda, Miaoli, Taiwan, Republic of China.
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8
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Frackowiak M, Russell PS, Rusconi P, Fasoli F, Cohen-Chen S. Political orientation, trust and discriminatory beliefs during the COVID-19 pandemic: Longitudinal evidence from the United Kingdom. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 62:1897-1924. [PMID: 37341348 DOI: 10.1111/bjso.12662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the world in many ways; for example, evidence from the United Kingdom indicates that higher rates of discriminatory behaviours against immigrants have been recorded during this period. Prior research suggests that political orientation and trust are instrumental in discriminatory beliefs against immigrants. A longitudinal study (six waves and a follow-up) was conducted in the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic (September 2020-August 2021) using convenience sampling (N = 383). The hypotheses enquired about whether political orientation predicts trust in government, trust in science and discriminatory beliefs. Multilevel regression and mediation analyses were conducted, using repeated measures nested within individuals. It was found that conservative views are associated with higher discriminatory beliefs, lower trust in science and higher trust in government. Furthermore, trust in science promotes reduction of discrimination, whereas trust in government, increases discriminatory beliefs. However, a nuance revealed by an interaction effect, shows that a positive alignment between political and scientific authorities may be required to reduce prejudice against immigrants. Exploratory multilevel mediation showed that trust is a mediator between political orientation and discriminatory beliefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Frackowiak
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- imec-mict-UGent, Department of Communication Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Pascale Sophie Russell
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Patrice Rusconi
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, Psychology, Education and Cultural Studies, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Fabio Fasoli
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
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9
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Harborth D, Pape S. A privacy calculus model for contact tracing apps: Analyzing the use behavior of the German Corona-Warn-App with a longitudinal user study. Comput Secur 2023; 132:103338. [PMID: 37334178 PMCID: PMC10264164 DOI: 10.1016/j.cose.2023.103338] [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: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is a pressing societal issue today. The German government promotes a contract tracing app named Corona-Warn-App (CWA), aiming to change citizens' health behaviors during the pandemic by raising awareness about potential infections and enable infection chain tracking. Technical implementations, citizens' perceptions, and public debates around apps differ between countries, e. g., in Germany there has been a huge discussion on potential privacy issues of the app. Thus, we analyze effects of privacy concerns regarding the CWA, perceived CWA benefits, and trust in the German healthcare system to answer why citizens use the CWA. In our initial conference publication at ICT Systems Security and Privacy Protection - 37th IFIP TC 11 International Conference, SEC 2022, we used a sample with 1752 actual users and non-users of the CWA and and support for the privacy calculus theory, i. e., individuals weigh privacy concerns and benefits in their use decision. Thus, citizens privacy perceptions about health technologies (e. g., shaped by public debates) are crucial as they can hinder adoption and negatively affect future fights against pandemics. In this special issue, we adapt our previous work by conducting a second survey 10 months after our initial study with the same pool of participants (830 participants from the first study participated in the second survey). The goal of this longitudinal study is to assess changes in the perceptions of users and non-users over time and to evaluate the influence of the significantly lower hospitalization and death rates on the use behavior which we could observe during the second survey. Our results show that the privacy calculus is relatively stable over time. The only relationship which significantly changes over time is the effect of privacy concerns on the use behavior which significantly decreases over time, i. e., privacy concerns have a lower negative effect one the CWA use indicating that it did not play such an important role in the use decision at a later point in time in the pandemic. We contribute to the literature by introducing one of the rare longitudinal analyses in the literature focusing on the privacy calculus and changes over time in the relevant constructs as well as the relationships between the calculus constructs and target variables (in our case use behavior of a contact tracing app). We can see that the explanatory power of the privacy calculus model is relatively stable over time even if strong externalities might affect individual perceptions related to the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Harborth
- Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 4, 60326 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sebastian Pape
- Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 4, 60326 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Mensah IK, Khan MK, Liang J, Zhu N, Lin LW, Mwakapesa DS. The moderating influence of perceived government information transparency on COVID-19 pandemic information adoption on social media systems. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1172094. [PMID: 37404584 PMCID: PMC10315676 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1172094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Social media systems are instrumental in the dissemination of timely COVID-19 pandemic information to the general population and contribute to the fight against the pandemic and waves of disinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study uses the information adoption model (IAM) as the theoretical framework to examine the moderating influence of perceived government information transparency on the adoption of COVID-19 pandemic information on social media systems from the Ghanaian perspective. Government information transparency regarding the pandemic is crucial since any lack of transparency can negatively affect the global response to the pandemic by destroying trust (in government and public health authorities/institutions), intensifying fears, and causing destructive behaviors. Methods It applies a convenient sampling technique to collect the responses from 516 participants by using self-administrated questionnaires. The data analysis was computed and analyzed with SPSS-22. The following statistical tests were conducted to test the hypotheses: descriptive statistics, scale reliability test, Pearson bivariate correlation, multiple linear regressions, hierarchical regression, and slope analysis. Results The results indicate that information quality, information credibility, and information usefulness are significant drivers of COVID-19 pandemic information adoption on social media systems. Furthermore, the perceived government information transparency positively moderates the influence of information quality, information credibility, and information usefulness on the adoption of COVID-19 pandemic information on social media systems. Conclusion The theoretical and managerial implications of these findings suggest the utilization of social media systems as an effective tool to support the continued fight against the current COVID-19 pandemic and its future role in national and global public health emergencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Kofi Mensah
- Business Administration, Fujian Jiangxia University, New University Campus, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Muhammad Khalil Khan
- Department of Journalism and Communication, School of Media and Law, NingboTech University, Ningbo, China
| | - Juan Liang
- Business Administration, Fujian Jiangxia University, New University Campus, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Nan Zhu
- Business Administration, Fujian Jiangxia University, New University Campus, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Li-Wei Lin
- Business Administration, Fujian Jiangxia University, New University Campus, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Deborah Simon Mwakapesa
- School of Civil and Surveying Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
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Britt RK, Britt BC, Panek E, Lee J. Communication Expressed on the COVID-19 Subreddit in the Midst of a Global Pandemic. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2023; 38:1157-1167. [PMID: 34865594 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2021.1994190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The manner in which scientific information related to the COVID-19 pandemic has been shared and discussed in similar venues has, to date, been largely neglected. Considering the role that such discourse plays in knowledge sharing and knowledge production, it is essential to understand such communication processes as they relate to global health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study examines communication expressed by participants in the r/COVID19 subreddit, a community that facilitates scientific discussion of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. A computational content analysis was performed to identify the primary themes of users' communication on r/COVID19, while stepwise segmented regression was used to assess identify longitudinal changes in the volume of user contributions. Findings showed that while conversations were centered on scientific conversations, they were catalyzed by sociological and political developments rather than scientific breakthroughs. Future studies should examine the effects of pandemic-related communities on lurkers, the effects of visibility on scientific and medical contributions, and the implications of pseudonymity and ambiguous credentials in a community addressing a volatile health and scientific topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca K Britt
- Department of Journalism and Creative Media, College of Communication and Information Sciences, The University of Alabama
| | - Brian C Britt
- Department of Advertising and Public Relations, College of Communication and Information Sciences, The University of Alabama
| | - Elliot Panek
- Department of Journalism and Creative Media, College of Communication and Information Sciences, The University of Alabama
| | - Jiyoung Lee
- Department of Journalism and Creative Media, College of Communication and Information Sciences, The University of Alabama
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12
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Yildiz Durak H, Şimşir Gökalp Z, Saritepeci M, Dilmaç B, Durak A. Investigation of personal variables, technology usage, vaccine-related variables, social media-specific epistemological beliefs, media literacy, social impact strategies variables affecting vaccine hesitancy beliefs in the Covid-19 pandemic. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GESUNDHEITSWISSENSCHAFTEN = JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH 2023:1-14. [PMID: 37361268 PMCID: PMC10013284 DOI: 10.1007/s10389-023-01872-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Aim In this study, personal variables, technology use cases, vaccine-related variables, social media-specific epistemological beliefs, media literacy, and social influence strategies were examined as predictors of Covid-19 vaccination hesitancy (VH) beliefs. Subject and methods The prediction design research model is used to detect the predictors of the dependent variable. The study group consists of 378 participants. Five different scales were used together with the self-description form as a data collection tool. Results According to the results of the research, individuals who have positive perceptions about the safety of Covid-19 vaccines and who have received the Covid-19 vaccine have lower anti-vaccine beliefs. It is another situation that prevents the opposition to vaccination of those who research the source of information on social media. As a result, age, education and income level, social media usage experience, media literacy, and social influence strategies were not effective on the participants' anti-vaccine beliefs. Conclusion According to the findings of the study, positive perceptions about the safety of Covid-19 vaccines, being vaccinated against Covid-19, and researching a source of information on social media variables seem to be effective in laying the foundations for constructive interventions such as using anti-vaccine beliefs to guide, reduce or eliminate negative beliefs about vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hatice Yildiz Durak
- Eregli Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Science, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Zeynep Şimşir Gökalp
- Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Sciences, Selçuk University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Saritepeci
- Eregli Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Science, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Bülent Dilmaç
- Eregli Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Science, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Aykut Durak
- Eregli Faculty of Education, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
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Ishimaru T, Ibayashi K, Nagata M, Tateishi S, Hino A, Tsuji M, Ando H, Muramatsu K, Fujino Y. Factors associated with acceptance of a digital contact tracing application for COVID-19 in the Japanese working-age population. NAGOYA JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE 2023; 85:59-69. [PMID: 36923608 PMCID: PMC10009641 DOI: 10.18999/nagjms.85.1.59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
The working-age population is at the epicenter of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections. Therefore, it is important to increase the acceptance of digital contact tracing apps in this population. Contact-Confirming Application (COCOA) is the only digital contact tracing app in Japan. This study aimed to determine factors associated with acceptance of the COCOA for COVID-19 in the Japanese working-age population. A cross-sectional study was performed for 27,036 full-time workers registered with an internet survey company during December 2020 in Japan. Factors associated with COCOA adoption were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. The rate of downloading the COCOA was 25.1%. The COCOA was more likely to be accepted by people with married status, university graduation or above, higher income, and occupations involving desk work. Fear of COVID-19 transmission, wearing a mask, using hand disinfection, willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and presence of an acquaintance infected with COVID-19 were also associated with a greater likelihood of adopting the app. The rate of downloading the COCOA in Japan was not very high. The present findings have important implications for widespread adoption of digital contact tracing apps in working-age populations in Japan and elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiro Ishimaru
- Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Koki Ibayashi
- Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Masako Nagata
- Department of Occupational Health Practice and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Seiichiro Tateishi
- Department of Occupational Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Ayako Hino
- Department of Mental Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Mayumi Tsuji
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Hajime Ando
- Department of Work Systems and Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Keiji Muramatsu
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Fujino
- Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
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Padilla L, Fygenson R, Castro SC, Bertini E. Multiple Forecast Visualizations (MFVs): Trade-offs in Trust and Performance in Multiple COVID-19 Forecast Visualizations. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VISUALIZATION AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS 2023; 29:12-22. [PMID: 36166555 DOI: 10.1109/tvcg.2022.3209457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of inadequate SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) responses may indicate a lack of trust in forecasts and risk communication. However, no work has empirically tested how multiple forecast visualization choices impact trust and task-based performance. The three studies presented in this paper ( N=1299) examine how visualization choices impact trust in COVID-19 mortality forecasts and how they influence performance in a trend prediction task. These studies focus on line charts populated with real-time COVID-19 data that varied the number and color encoding of the forecasts and the presence of best/worst-case forecasts. The studies reveal that trust in COVID-19 forecast visualizations initially increases with the number of forecasts and then plateaus after 6-9 forecasts. However, participants were most trusting of visualizations that showed less visual information, including a 95% confidence interval, single forecast, and grayscale encoded forecasts. Participants maintained high trust in intervals labeled with 50% and 25% and did not proportionally scale their trust to the indicated interval size. Despite the high trust, the 95% CI condition was the most likely to evoke predictions that did not correspond with the actual COVID-19 trend. Qualitative analysis of participants' strategies confirmed that many participants trusted both the simplistic visualizations and those with numerous forecasts. This work provides practical guides for how COVID-19 forecast visualizations influence trust, including recommendations for identifying the range where forecasts balance trade-offs between trust and task-based performance.
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15
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Increase the Number of Views and Shares of COVID-19 Videos: Content Relevance and Emotional Consistency with Virus Variant Topics. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 11:healthcare11010119. [PMID: 36611578 PMCID: PMC9819501 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11010119] [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: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: The coronavirus variants have posed serious challenges for the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic. Individuals selectively watch and forward videos that help them reduce the damage caused by the virus. Therefore, the factors influencing video viewing and sharing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by virus variation must be explored. (2) Method: Based on a combination of uncertainty reduction theory and functional emotion theory, this paper designed hypotheses regarding how content relevance and emotional consistency affect video views and shares. We used the support vector machine (SVM) classification algorithm to measure the content relevance between videos and virus variant topics. We performed sentiment analysis of video text to evaluate the emotional consistency between videos and virus variant topics. Then, we used empirical analysis to build the model. (3) Results: The trained SVM classifier was effective in judging whether the video text was related to virus variant topics (F = 88.95%). The content relevance between COVID-19 videos and virus variant topics was generally low. The results showed that the higher the content relevance, the more views (IRR = 1.005, p = 0.017) and shares (IRR = 1.008, p = 0.009) the video received. Individuals were more willing to view (IRR = 1.625, p < 0.001) and share (IRR = 1.761, p < 0.001) COVID-19 videos with high emotional consistency with virus variant topics. (4) Conclusions: The results of empirical analysis showed that content relevance and emotional consistency between videos and virus variant topics significantly positively impacted video views and shares. The trained SVM classifier can support public health departments in monitoring and assessing the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study provides management advice while helping individuals reduce harm and inform next-step decisions.
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Shan Y, Ji M, Xie W, Lam KY, Chow CY. Public Trust in Artificial Intelligence Applications in Mental Health Care: Topic Modeling Analysis. JMIR Hum Factors 2022; 9:e38799. [DOI: 10.2196/38799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Mental disorders (MDs) impose heavy burdens on health care (HC) systems and affect a growing number of people worldwide. The use of mobile health (mHealth) apps empowered by artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being resorted to as a possible solution.
Objective
This study adopted a topic modeling (TM) approach to investigate the public trust in AI apps in mental health care (MHC) by identifying the dominant topics and themes in user reviews of the 8 most relevant mental health (MH) apps with the largest numbers of reviewers.
Methods
We searched Google Play for the top MH apps with the largest numbers of reviewers, from which we selected the most relevant apps. Subsequently, we extracted data from user reviews posted from January 1, 2020, to April 2, 2022. After cleaning the extracted data using the Python text processing tool spaCy, we ascertained the optimal number of topics, drawing on the coherence scores and used latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) TM to generate the most salient topics and related terms. We then classified the ascertained topics into different theme categories by plotting them onto a 2D plane via multidimensional scaling using the pyLDAvis visualization tool. Finally, we analyzed these topics and themes qualitatively to better understand the status of public trust in AI apps in MHC.
Results
From the top 20 MH apps with the largest numbers of reviewers retrieved, we chose the 8 (40%) most relevant apps: (1) Wysa: Anxiety Therapy Chatbot; (2) Youper Therapy; (3) MindDoc: Your Companion; (4) TalkLife for Anxiety, Depression & Stress; (5) 7 Cups: Online Therapy for Mental Health & Anxiety; (6) BetterHelp-Therapy; (7) Sanvello; and (8) InnerHour. These apps provided 14.2% (n=559), 11.0% (n=431), 13.7% (n=538), 8.8% (n=356), 14.1% (n=554), 11.9% (n=468), 9.2% (n=362), and 16.9% (n=663) of the collected 3931 reviews, respectively. The 4 dominant topics were topic 4 (cheering people up; n=1069, 27%), topic 3 (calming people down; n=1029, 26%), topic 2 (helping figure out the inner world; n=963, 25%), and topic 1 (being an alternative or complement to a therapist; n=870, 22%). Based on topic coherence and intertopic distance, topics 3 and 4 were combined into theme 3 (dispelling negative emotions), while topics 2 and 1 remained 2 separate themes: theme 2 (helping figure out the inner world) and theme 1 (being an alternative or complement to a therapist), respectively. These themes and topics, though involving some dissenting voices, reflected an overall high status of trust in AI apps.
Conclusions
This is the first study to investigate the public trust in AI apps in MHC from the perspective of user reviews using the TM technique. The automatic text analysis and complementary manual interpretation of the collected data allowed us to discover the dominant topics hidden in a data set and categorize these topics into different themes to reveal an overall high degree of public trust. The dissenting voices from users, though only a few, can serve as indicators for health providers and app developers to jointly improve these apps, which will ultimately facilitate the treatment of prevalent MDs and alleviate the overburdened HC systems worldwide.
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Cheng M, Li X, Xu J. Promoting Healthcare Workers' Adoption Intention of Artificial-Intelligence-Assisted Diagnosis and Treatment: The Chain Mediation of Social Influence and Human-Computer Trust. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph192013311. [PMID: 36293889 PMCID: PMC9602845 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted diagnosis and treatment could expand the medical scenarios and augment work efficiency and accuracy. However, factors influencing healthcare workers' adoption intention of AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment are not well-understood. This study conducted a cross-sectional study of 343 dental healthcare workers from tertiary hospitals and secondary hospitals in Anhui Province. The obtained data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results showed that performance expectancy and effort expectancy were both positively related to healthcare workers' adoption intention of AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment. Social influence and human-computer trust, respectively, mediated the relationship between expectancy (performance expectancy and effort expectancy) and healthcare workers' adoption intention of AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, social influence and human-computer trust played a chain mediation role between expectancy and healthcare workers' adoption intention of AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment. Our study provided novel insights into the path mechanism of healthcare workers' adoption intention of AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment.
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van Kersbergen K, Tinggaard Svendsen G. Social trust and public digitalization. AI & SOCIETY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00146-022-01570-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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19
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O'Donnell CA, Macdonald S, Browne S, Albanese A, Blane D, Ibbotson T, Laidlaw L, Heaney D, Lowe DJ. Widening or narrowing inequalities? The equity implications of digital tools to support COVID-19 contact tracing: A qualitative study. Health Expect 2022; 25:2851-2861. [PMID: 36063060 PMCID: PMC9538145 DOI: 10.1111/hex.13593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background As digital tools are increasingly used to support COVID‐19 contact tracing, the equity implications must be considered. As part of a study to understand the public's views of digital contact tracing tools developed for the national ‘Test and Protect’ programme in Scotland, we aimed to explore the views of groups often excluded from such discussions. This paper reports on their views about the potential for contact tracing to exacerbate inequalities. Methods A qualitative study was carried out; interviews were conducted with key informants from organizations supporting people in marginalized situations, followed by interviews and focus groups with people recruited from these groups. Participants included, or represented, minority ethnic groups, asylum seekers and refugees and those experiencing multiple disadvantage including severe and enduring poverty. Results A total of 42 people participated: 13 key informants and 29 members of the public. While public participants were supportive of contact tracing, key informants raised concerns. Both sets of participants spoke about how contact tracing, and its associated digital tools, might increase inequalities. Barriers included finances (inability to afford smartphones or the data to ensure access to the internet); language (digital tools were available only in English and required a degree of literacy, even for English speakers); and trust (many marginalized groups distrusted statutory organizations and there were concerns that data may be passed to other organizations). One strength was that NHS Scotland, the data guardian, is seen as a generally trustworthy organization. Poverty was recognized as a barrier to people's ability to self‐isolate. Some participants were concerned about giving contact details of individuals who might struggle to self‐isolate for financial reasons. Conclusions The impact of contact tracing and associated digital tools on marginalized populations needs careful monitoring. This should include the contact tracing process and the ability of people to self‐isolate. Regular clear messaging from trusted groups and community members could help maintain trust and participation in the programme. Patient and Public Contribution Our patient and public involvement coapplicant, L. L., was involved in all aspects of the study including coauthorship. Interim results were presented to our local Public and Patient Involvement and Engagement Group, who commented on interpretation and made suggestions about further recruitment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A O'Donnell
- General Practice and Primary Care, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
| | - Sara Macdonald
- General Practice and Primary Care, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
| | - Susan Browne
- General Practice and Primary Care, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
| | - Alessio Albanese
- General Practice and Primary Care, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
| | - David Blane
- General Practice and Primary Care, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
| | - Tracy Ibbotson
- General Practice and Primary Care, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland.,Public and Patient Involvement and Engagement Group, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
| | - Lynn Laidlaw
- Public and Patient Involvement and Engagement Group, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
| | - David Heaney
- Rossall Research and Consultancy, Ullapool, Scotland
| | - David J Lowe
- NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Digital Health and Care Institute, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
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20
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Kuroki M, Yamamoto K, Goldfinch S. Factors Influencing the Adoption of Voluntary Nonpharmaceutical Interventions to Control COVID-19 in Japan: Cross-sectional Study. JMIR Form Res 2022; 6:e34268. [PMID: 35916697 PMCID: PMC9348844 DOI: 10.2196/34268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Trust in government is seen to facilitate crisis management and policy instrument adoption across numerous studies. However, in Japan, public support for government handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and trust in the government is low, yet the adoption of voluntary nondigital nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) is high. This is an important tension this study seeks to unravel. Objective The aim of this study is to understand the antecedents of nondigital NPI and tracking app adoption in the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Methods A commercial company was contracted to deliver an online survey of 1248 Japanese citizens in December 2020. A quota technique was used to deliver a sample representative in terms of gender, age, residence, income, and education. Results The adoption of voluntary nondigital NPIs is predicted by confidence in public health scientists and a favoring of infection control over reducing economic and social costs. A novel and unexpected finding is that trust in government does not predict nondigital NPI use. Perceived risk and knowledge of infection did not increase the use of nondigital NPIs. Education and income were not significant factors, although female and older respondents demonstrated greater compliance. For the adoption of a phone tracking app, trust in government is important, as is urban residence, albeit with a lower use of the app compared to nondigital NPIs. Conclusions Voluntary compliance in the adoption of nondigital NPIs—if skillfully led by trusted scientific experts and in accord with societal norms—can be effectively achieved. We provide evidence that trust in government is effective in encouraging the use of the Japanese tracking app. Moreover, the technical efficacy of digital initiatives and perceptions of such will unsurprisingly affect citizen support and use of digital tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Kuroki
- School of Economics and Business Administration, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Yamamoto
- Kamakura Women's University, Kamakura, Japan
- University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shaun Goldfinch
- Australia New Zealand School of Government, Melbourne, Australia
- Curtin University, Perth, Australia
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21
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Afroogh S, Esmalian A, Mostafavi A, Akbari A, Rasoulkhani K, Esmaeili S, Hajiramezanali E. Tracing app technology: an ethical review in the COVID-19 era and directions for post-COVID-19. ETHICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 2022; 24:30. [PMID: 35915595 PMCID: PMC9330978 DOI: 10.1007/s10676-022-09659-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We conducted a systematic literature review on the ethical considerations of the use of contact tracing app technology, which was extensively implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. The rapid and extensive use of this technology during the COVID-19 pandemic, while benefiting the public well-being by providing information about people's mobility and movements to control the spread of the virus, raised several ethical concerns for the post-COVID-19 era. To investigate these concerns for the post-pandemic situation and provide direction for future events, we analyzed the current ethical frameworks, research, and case studies about the ethical usage of tracing app technology. The results suggest there are seven essential ethical considerations-privacy, security, acceptability, government surveillance, transparency, justice, and voluntariness-in the ethical use of contact tracing technology. In this paper, we explain and discuss these considerations and how they are needed for the ethical usage of this technology. The findings also highlight the importance of developing integrated guidelines and frameworks for implementation of such technology in the post- COVID-19 world. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10676-022-09659-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleh Afroogh
- Department of Philosophy, The State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY 12203 USA
| | - Amir Esmalian
- UrbanResilience.AI Lab, Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840 USA
| | - Ali Mostafavi
- UrbanResilience.AI Lab, Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840 USA
| | - Ali Akbari
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840 USA
| | | | - Shahriar Esmaeili
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843 USA
| | - Ehsan Hajiramezanali
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA
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22
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Tretter M. How is “solidarity” understood in discussions about contact tracing apps? An overview. Front Public Health 2022; 10:859831. [PMID: 35937216 PMCID: PMC9355132 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.859831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is much discussion about contact tracing apps, their use to contain the spread of the virus as well as the ethical, legal, and social aspects of their development, implementation, acceptance, and use. In these discussions, authors frequently mention “solidarity” when making key points in arguments. At the same time, authors rarely specify how they understand “solidarity”. This lack of specification about how they understand “solidarity” can lead to misunderstandings in discussions. Objective To prevent such misunderstandings, it is important to specify how one understands “solidarity” when mentioning it in the discussions on contact tracing apps. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to elaborate how “solidarity” is understood in the context of contact tracing apps, i.e., how different authors understand “solidarity” when using it in discussions about these apps. Methods In order to find out how different authors understand “solidarity” when discussing contact tracing apps, I conduct a literature review. I collect papers from several databases, inductively work out central differences and similarities between the different uses of “solidarity”, and use them to code and analyze relevant passages. Results In the final sample, five different understandings of “solidarity” in the context of contact tracing apps can be identified. These understandings differ in how different authors (1) imagine the basic concept of solidarity, i.e., what “solidarity” refers to, (2) how they temporally relate solidarity to contact tracing apps, and (3) how they perceive the causal interactions between solidarity and contact tracing apps, i.e., the different ways in which solidarity and contact tracing apps influence each other. Conclusions The five understandings of “solidarity” in the context of contact tracing apps presented here can serve as guidance for how “solidarity” can be understood in discussions—thus contributing to a better mutual understanding and preventing communicative misunderstandings.
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Nunes N, Adamo G, Ribeiro M, Nisi V. Modeling adoption, security and privacy of COVID-19 apps: findings and recommendations from an empirical study using UTAUT. JMIR Hum Factors 2022; 9:e35434. [PMID: 35862671 PMCID: PMC9484482 DOI: 10.2196/35434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The global health crisis caused by COVID-19 has drastically changed human society in a relatively short time. However, this crisis has offered insights into the different roles that such a worldwide virus plays in the lives of people and how those have been affected, as well as eventually proposing new solutions. From the beginning of the pandemic, technology solutions have featured prominently in virus control and in the frame of reference for international travel, especially contact tracing and passenger locator applications. Objective The objective of this paper is to study specific areas of technology acceptance and adoption following a unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) research model. Methods We presented a research model based on UTAUT constructs to study the determinants for adoption of COVID-19–related apps using a questionnaire. We tested the model via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) using travelers’ data from an insular tourist region. Results Our model explained 90.3% of the intention to use (N=9555) and showed an increased understanding of the vital role of safety, security, privacy, and trust in the usage intention of safety apps. Results also showed how the impact of COVID-19 is not a strong predictor of adoption, while age, education level, and social capital are essential moderators of behavioral intention. Conclusions In terms of scientific impact, the results described here provide important insights and contributions not only for researchers but also for policy and decision makers by explaining the reasons behind the adoption and usage of apps designed for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuno Nunes
- ITI / LARSyS, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Campus Alameda, Av. Rovisco Pais, Lisbon, PT
| | | | - Miguel Ribeiro
- ITI / LARSyS, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Campus Alameda, Av. Rovisco Pais, Lisbon, PT
| | - Valentina Nisi
- ITI / LARSyS, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Campus Alameda, Av. Rovisco Pais, Lisbon, PT
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24
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Bardus M, Al Daccache M, Maalouf N, Al Sarih R, Elhajj IH. Data Management and Privacy Policy of COVID-19 Contact-Tracing Apps: Systematic Review and Content Analysis. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2022; 10:e35195. [PMID: 35709334 PMCID: PMC9278406 DOI: 10.2196/35195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background COVID-19 digital contact-tracing apps were created to assist public health authorities in curbing the pandemic. These apps require users’ permission to access specific functions on their mobile phones, such as geolocation, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections, or personal data, to work correctly. As these functions have privacy repercussions, it is essential to establish how contact-tracing apps respect users’ privacy. Objective This study aimed to systematically map existing contact-tracing apps and evaluate the permissions required and their privacy policies. Specifically, we evaluated the type of permissions, the privacy policies’ readability, and the information included in them. Methods We used custom Google searches and existing lists of contact-tracing apps to identify potentially eligible apps between May 2020 and November 2021. We included contact-tracing or exposure notification apps with a Google Play webpage from which we extracted app characteristics (eg, sponsor, number of installs, and ratings). We used Exodus Privacy to systematically extract the number of permissions and classify them as dangerous or normal. We computed a Permission Accumulated Risk Score representing the threat level to the user’s privacy. We assessed the privacy policies’ readability and evaluated their content using a 13-item checklist, which generated a Privacy Transparency Index. We explored the relationships between app characteristics, Permission Accumulated Risk Score, and Privacy Transparency Index using correlations, chi-square tests, or ANOVAs. Results We identified 180 contact-tracing apps across 152 countries, states, or territories. We included 85.6% (154/180) of apps with a working Google Play page, most of which (132/154, 85.7%) had a privacy policy document. Most apps were developed by governments (116/154, 75.3%) and totaled 264.5 million installs. The average rating on Google Play was 3.5 (SD 0.7). Across the 154 apps, we identified 94 unique permissions, 18% (17/94) of which were dangerous, and 30 trackers. The average Permission Accumulated Risk Score was 22.7 (SD 17.7; range 4-74, median 16) and the average Privacy Transparency Index was 55.8 (SD 21.7; range 5-95, median 55). Overall, the privacy documents were difficult to read (median grade level 12, range 7-23); 67% (88/132) of these mentioned that the apps collected personal identifiers. The Permission Accumulated Risk Score was negatively associated with the average App Store ratings (r=−0.20; P=.03; 120/154, 77.9%) and Privacy Transparency Index (r=−0.25; P<.001; 132/154, 85.7%), suggesting that the higher the risk to one’s data, the lower the apps’ ratings and transparency index. Conclusions Many contact-tracing apps were developed covering most of the planet but with a relatively low number of installs. Privacy-preserving apps scored high in transparency and App Store ratings, suggesting that some users appreciate these apps. Nevertheless, privacy policy documents were difficult to read for an average audience. Therefore, we recommend following privacy-preserving and transparency principles to improve contact-tracing uptake while making privacy documents more readable for a wider public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Bardus
- Institute of Applied Health Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Melodie Al Daccache
- Center for Research on Population and Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Noel Maalouf
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, School of Engineering, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Rayan Al Sarih
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Imad H Elhajj
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
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Alsyouf A, Lutfi A, Al-Bsheish M, Jarrar M, Al-Mugheed K, Almaiah MA, Alhazmi FN, Masa’deh R, Anshasi RJ, Ashour A. Exposure Detection Applications Acceptance: The Case of COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19127307. [PMID: 35742560 PMCID: PMC9223380 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19127307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The pandemic's context is rife with numerous dangerous threats and high fear levels, influencing human decision-making. Such characteristics are identified by investigating the acceptance of exposure detection apps from the technology acceptance model (TAM) perspective. This study purposed a model to investigate protection technology acceptance, specifically exposure detection apps in the context of COVID-19. Quantitative study approach and a cross-section design targeted 586 participants from Saudi Arabia. As the study model is complex, the study hypotheses were analysed using the structural equation modelling-partial least squares (SEM-PLS3) approach. The findings support the entire model hypothesis except the link between social media awareness and exposure detection apps' intention. Mediation of COVID-19 anxiety and influence was confirmed as well. The current paper contributes to the technologies acceptance domain by developing a context-driven model comprising the major pandemic characteristics that lead to various patterns of technology acceptance. This study also fills the literature gap regarding mediating effects of social influence and COVID-19 anxiety in the relationship between trust in government and exposure detection apps implementation, and between COVID-19 anxiety and exposure detection apps implementation, respectively. The results may assist government agencies, health policymakers, and health organisations in the wide world and specifically Saudi Arabia, in their attempts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adi Alsyouf
- Department of Managing Health Services and Hospitals, Faculty of Business Rabigh, College of Business (COB), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21991, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (A.A.); (A.L.)
| | - Abdalwali Lutfi
- Department of Accounting, College of Business Administration, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (A.A.); (A.L.)
| | - Mohammad Al-Bsheish
- Health Management Department, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah 21442, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Mu’taman Jarrar
- Medical Education Department, King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar 34445, Saudi Arabia;
- Vice Deanship for Quality and Development, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid Al-Mugheed
- Surgical Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Near East University, Nicosia 99138, Cyprus;
| | - Mohammed Amin Almaiah
- Department of Computer Networks, College of Computer Sciences and Information Technology, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Fahad Nasser Alhazmi
- Department of Health Services and Hospital Administration, Faculty of Economics and Administration, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Ra’ed Masa’deh
- Department of Management Information Systems, School of Business, University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan;
| | - Rami J. Anshasi
- Prosthodontics Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan;
| | - Abdallah Ashour
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Philadelphia University, Amman 19392, Jordan;
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Saheb T, Sabour E, Qanbary F, Saheb T. Delineating privacy aspects of COVID tracing applications embedded with proximity measurement technologies & digital technologies. TECHNOLOGY IN SOCIETY 2022; 69:101968. [PMID: 35342210 PMCID: PMC8934188 DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2022.101968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
As the COVID-19 pandemic expanded over the globe, governments implemented a series of technological measures to prevent the disease's spread. The development of the COVID Tracing Application (CTA) was one of these measures. In this study, we employed bibliometric and topic-based content analysis to determine the most significant entities and research topics. Additionally, we identified significant privacy concerns posed by CTAs, which gather, store, and analyze data in partnership with large technology corporations using proximity measurement technologies, artificial intelligence, and blockchain. We examined a series of key privacy threats identified in our study. These privacy risks include anti-democratic and discriminatory behaviors, politicization of care, derogation of human rights, techno governance, citizen distrust and refusal to adopt, citizen surveillance, and mandatory legislation of the apps' installation. Finally, sixteen research gaps were identified. Then, based on the identified theoretical gaps, we recommended fourteen prospective study strands. Theoretically, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge about the privacy of mobile health applications that are embedded with cutting-edge technologies and are employed during global pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahereh Saheb
- Tarbiat Modares University, Management Studies Center, Tarbiat Modares University, Jalal Al Ahmad, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elham Sabour
- Tarbiat Modares University, Information Technology Management- Business Intelligence, Iran
| | - Fatimah Qanbary
- Tarbiat Modares University, Information Technology Management- Business Intelligence, Iran
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Goldfinch S, Taplin R. A cross-sectional international study shows confidence in public health scientists predicts use of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:662. [PMID: 35387609 PMCID: PMC8983321 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13074-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We examine the antecedents of COVID-19 phone tracking applications use, social distancing, and mask use, in the United States, Hong Kong and Japan. METHODS We draw on online panel surveys of over 1000 respondents each in the USA, Hong Kong and Japan, using broadly representative quota sample selections. Results are tested by ordinal logistic regression for the two ordinal dependent variables and logistic regression for phone app use. RESULTS Confidence in public health scientists predicts use of phone tracking applications, social distancing, and mask use, albeit statistically insignificant for tracer phone application use in Hong Kong. Trust in government predicts the use of a phone tracking application. Counterintuitively, trust in government is negatively and significantly associated with mask use and social distancing in Hong Kong and Japan. Women are more likely to wear masks and practice social distancing. Government employees are more likely to use a phone tracking application, but less likely to mask and social distance. Voting and civic participation are positively associated with trust in government and confidence in public health scientists, in all three countries. There are interesting variations across all three countries on other antecedents and controls. CONCLUSIONS Building and maintaining confidence in public health scientists provides a key tool to manage pandemics. Credible, effectively communicative - and independent - medical and scientific leaders may be central to pandemic control success. For digital measures, trust in government and privacy protection is central. Political and social factors are important to understand successful public health policy implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun Goldfinch
- Australia New Zealand School of Government, Carlton VIC 3053, Melbourne, Australia. .,Curtin University, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia.
| | - Ross Taplin
- Curtin University, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
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Folkvord F, Peschke L, Ağca YG, van Houten K, Stazi G, Lupiáñez-Villanueva F. Preferences in the willingness to download a Covid tracing app: An experimental study in the Netherlands and Turkey (Preprint). JMIR Form Res 2022; 6:e37891. [PMID: 35867840 PMCID: PMC9337617 DOI: 10.2196/37891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite the worldwide growth in using COVID-19 contact tracing apps (CTAs) and the potential benefits for citizens, governments, health care professionals, businesses, and other organizations, only a few studies have examined the factors affecting the levels of willingness to download a CTA. Objective This study aimed to investigate individuals’ preferences in the willingness to download a health app. Methods We conducted an experimental study in 2 countries, the Netherlands (N=62) and Turkey (N=83), using 4 different vignettes (ie, data protection, manufacturer, reward, and gaming models) with different attributes. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of the conditions within the vignettes. Results The results showed that data protection and gaming elements are factors that influence the willingness to download a COVID-19 CTA. More specifically, we see that data protection is an important factor explaining the willingness to download the app in Turkey, whereas including gaming elements significantly affects the willingness to download the app in the Netherlands. Conclusions COVID-19 CTAs are highly promising to reduce the spread of the virus and make it easier to open up society faster, especially because they can be used quickly and share information rapidly. COVID-19 CTA developers must ensure that their apps satisfactorily and sufficiently address ethical considerations, even in times of crisis. Furthermore, integrating gaming elements in the CTA could enhance the willingness to download the CTA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frans Folkvord
- Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
- PredictBy, PredictBy Research, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lutz Peschke
- Department of Communication and Design, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Yasemin Gümüş Ağca
- Department of Communication and Design, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | | | - Francisco Lupiáñez-Villanueva
- PredictBy, PredictBy Research, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Information and Communication Science, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
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Walrave M, Waeterloos C, Ponnet K. Reasons for Nonuse, Discontinuation of Use, and Acceptance of Additional Functionalities of a COVID-19 Contact Tracing App: Cross-sectional Survey Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2022; 8:e22113. [PMID: 34794117 PMCID: PMC8763311 DOI: 10.2196/22113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In several countries, contact tracing apps (CTAs) have been introduced to warn users if they have had high-risk contacts that could expose them to SARS-CoV-2 and could, therefore, develop COVID-19 or further transmit the virus. For CTAs to be effective, a sufficient critical mass of users is needed. Until now, adoption of these apps in several countries has been limited, resulting in questions on which factors prevent app uptake or stimulate discontinuation of app use. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate individuals' reasons for not using, or stopping use of, a CTA, in particular, the Coronalert app. Users' and nonusers' attitudes toward the app's potential impact was assessed in Belgium. To further stimulate interest and potential use of a CTA, the study also investigated the population's interest in new functionalities. METHODS An online survey was administered in Belgium to a sample of 1850 respondents aged 18 to 64 years. Data were collected between October 30 and November 2, 2020. Sociodemographic differences were assessed between users and nonusers. We analyzed both groups' attitudes toward the potential impact of CTAs and their acceptance of new app functionalities. RESULTS Our data showed that 64.9% (1201/1850) of our respondents were nonusers of the CTA under study; this included individuals who did not install the app, those who downloaded but did not activate the app, and those who uninstalled the app. While we did not find any sociodemographic differences between users and nonusers, attitudes toward the app and its functionalities seemed to differ. The main reasons for not downloading and using the app were a perceived lack of advantages (308/991, 31.1%), worries about privacy (290/991, 29.3%), and, to a lesser extent, not having a smartphone (183/991, 18.5%). Users of the CTA agreed more with the potential of such apps to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic. Overall, nonusers found the possibility of extending the CTA with future functionalities to be less acceptable than users. However, among users, acceptability also tended to differ. Among users, functionalities relating to access and control, such as digital certificates or "green cards" for events, were less accepted (358/649, 55.2%) than functionalities focusing on informing citizens about the spread of the virus (453/649, 69.8%) or making an appointment to get tested (525/649, 80.9%). CONCLUSIONS Our results show that app users were more convinced of the CTA's utility and more inclined to accept new app features than nonusers. Moreover, nonusers had more CTA-related privacy concerns. Therefore, to further stimulate app adoption and use, its potential advantages and privacy-preserving mechanisms need to be stressed. Building further knowledge on the forms of resistance among nonusers is important for responding to these barriers through the app's further development and communication campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Walrave
- MIOS Research Group and GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence, Department of Communication Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Cato Waeterloos
- IMEC-MICT Research Group, Department of Communication Sciences, Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Koen Ponnet
- IMEC-MICT Research Group, Department of Communication Sciences, Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Scholl A, Sassenberg K. How Identification With the Social Environment and With the Government Guide the Use of the Official COVID-19 Contact Tracing App: Three Quantitative Survey Studies. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2021; 9:e28146. [PMID: 34662289 PMCID: PMC8614392 DOI: 10.2196/28146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Official contact tracing apps have been implemented and recommended for use across nations to track and contain the spread of COVID-19. Such apps can be effective if people are willing to use them. Accordingly, many attempts are being made to motivate citizens to make use of the officially recommended apps. OBJECTIVE The aim of this research was to contribute to an understanding of the preconditions under which people are willing to use a COVID-19 contact tracing app (ie, their use intentions and use). To go beyond personal motives in favor of app use, it is important to take people's social relationships into account, under the hypothesis that the more people identify with the beneficiaries of app use (ie, people living close by in their social environment) and with the source recommending the app (ie, members of the government), the more likely they will be to accept the officially recommended contact tracing app. METHODS Before, right after, and 5 months after the official contact tracing app was launched in Germany, a total of 1044 people participated in three separate surveys. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses, examining the same model in all studies at these critical points in time. RESULTS Across the three surveys, both identification with the beneficiaries (people living in their social environment) and with the source recommending the app (members of the government) predicted greater intention to use and use (installation) of the official contact tracing app. Trust in the source (members of the government) served as a mediator. Other types of identification (with people in Germany or people around the world) did not explain the observed results. The findings were highly consistent across the three surveys. CONCLUSIONS Attempts to motivate people to use new health technology (or potentially new measures more generally) not only for their personal benefit but also for collective benefits should take the social context into account (ie, the social groups people belong to and identify with). The more important the beneficiaries and the sources of such measures are to people's sense of the self, the more willing they will likely be to adhere to and support such measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Scholl
- Social Processes Lab, Leibniz-Institut fuer Wissensmedien, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Kai Sassenberg
- Social Processes Lab, Leibniz-Institut fuer Wissensmedien, Tuebingen, Germany
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Al-Hasan A, Khuntia J, Yim D. Does Seeing What Others Do Through Social Media Influence Vaccine Uptake and Help in the Herd Immunity Through Vaccination? A Cross-Sectional Analysis. Front Public Health 2021; 9:715931. [PMID: 34796158 PMCID: PMC8592939 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.715931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Widespread acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination is the next major step in fighting the pandemic. However, significant variations are observed in the willingness to take the vaccination by citizens across different countries. Arguably, differences in vaccination intentions will be influenced by beliefs around vaccines to influence health. Often perceptions of what others are doing and the information available guide individuals' behaviors for vaccination. This is more so in the digital age with the influence of the internet and media. This study aims to determine the factors that impact willingness to vaccinate for COVID-19. We examined factors associated with acceptance of vaccine based on (1) constructs of the Health Belief Model (HBM), (2) sources of information, (3) social media usage, (4) knowledge of COVID-19 treatment, and (5) perception of government's efforts for mitigation. Randomly sampled online survey data was collected by a global firm between December 2020 and January 2021 from 372 citizens (with a response rate of 96.6%) from multiple regions, including North America, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Ordered probit regression suggests that the health belief model constructs hold. Perceived severity of COVID-19 (P < 0.001) and action cues of others taking the vaccine positively influences a subject's vaccine intent (P < 0.001), perceived benefits and perceived efficacy of the vaccine positively influences a subject's vaccine intent (P < 0.001). Perceived barriers negatively influence vaccine intent (P < 0.001). Interestingly as for media usage, mainstream media (e.g., TV, newspaper) (P = 0.006) and social media (P = 0.013) both negatively influence a subject's vaccine intent. Social media platforms that are more entertainment and social-based, such as Whatsapp, Instagram, and YouTube, have a negative and significant influence on vaccine intent (P = 0.061), compared to other more information-based social media platforms (e.g., Twitter, LinkedIn). Knowledge of COVID-19 treatment positively influences vaccine intent (P = 0.023). Lastly, governmental efforts' perceived reliability in mitigation strategy (P = 0.028) and response efforts (P = 0.004) negatively influence vaccine intent. The study highlights the "wait-and-see" action cue from others and leaders in the community. It also informs the importance of shaping media information for vaccination through informative media and social media outlets to counteract any misinformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abrar Al-Hasan
- College of Business Administration, Kuwait University, AlShadadiyah City, Kuwait
| | - Jiban Khuntia
- CU Denver Business School, Information Systems Department, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Dobin Yim
- Sellinger School of Business, Information Systems Law and Operations Department, Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Dash A, Sahoo AK. Physician’s perception of E-consultation adoption amid of COVID-19 pandemic. VINE JOURNAL OF INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS 2021. [DOI: 10.1108/vjikms-06-2021-0103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate physicians’ perceptions of e-consultation adoption, which has the potential to bridge existing gaps in the current health-care system, using the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) framework.
Design/methodology/approach
The judgemental sampling method was embraced to collect primary data from 337 physicians from Delhi-National Capital Region who had experience with e-consultation. A number of hypotheses was developed and tested using structural equation model based on UTAUT2.
Findings
The study’s findings revealed an affirmative and significant relation between a physician’s intention to embrace e-consultation and facilitating conditions, effort expectancy, social influence and performance expectancy; however, habit and experience are not significantly linked to it.
Originality/value
This study will not only add to the existing body of knowledge about e-consultation adoption, but it will also assist electronic health service providers in devising strategies to encourage the usage of e-consultation services in emerging economies such as India where people are deprived of the right to access better health care due to lack of physical infrastructure.
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Qazi A, Hasan N, Abayomi-Alli O, Hardaker G, Scherer R, Sarker Y, Kumar Paul S, Maitama JZ. Gender differences in information and communication technology use & skills: a systematic review and meta-analysis. EDUCATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES 2021; 27:4225-4258. [PMID: 34697533 PMCID: PMC8528947 DOI: 10.1007/s10639-021-10775-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Even though information and communication technology (ICT) is essential for everyday life and has gained considerable attention in education and other sectors, it also carries individual differences in its use and relevant skills. This systematic review aims to examine the gender differences in ICT use and skills for learning through technology. A comprehensive search of eight journal databases and a specific selection criterion was carried out to exclude articles that match our stated exclusion criteria. We included 42 peer-reviewed empirical publications and conference proceedings published between 2006 and 2020. For a subsample of studies, we performed a small-scale meta-analysis to quantify possible gender differences in ICT use and skills. A random-effects model uncovered a small and positive, yet not significant, effect size in favor of boys (g = 0.17, 95% CI [-0.01, 0.36]). However, this finding needs to be further backed by large-scale meta-analyses, including more study samples and a broader set of ICT use and skills measures. We highlight several concerns that should be addressed and more thoroughly in collaboration with one another to better IT skills and inspire new policies to increase the quality of ICT use. The findings from this review further suggest implications and present existing research challenges and point to future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atika Qazi
- Center for lifelong learning, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, Brunei
| | - Najmul Hasan
- Center for Modern Information Management, School of Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 People’s Republic of China
| | - Olusola Abayomi-Alli
- Department of Software Engineering, Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Glenn Hardaker
- Center for lifelong learning, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, Brunei
| | - Ronny Scherer
- Centre for Educational Measurement at the University of Oslo (CEMO), Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Yeahia Sarker
- Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology, Rajshahi, 6204 Bangladesh
| | - Sanjoy Kumar Paul
- UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jaafar Zubairu Maitama
- Department of Information Technology, Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, Bayero University Kano, Kano, Nigeria
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Wichmann J, Leyer M. Factors Influencing the Intention of Actors in Hospitals to Use Indoor Positioning Systems: Reasoned Action Approach. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e28193. [PMID: 34609318 PMCID: PMC8527384 DOI: 10.2196/28193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Indoor positioning systems (IPS) have become increasingly important for several branches of the economy (eg, in shopping malls) but are relatively new to hospitals and underinvestigated in that context. This research analyzes the intention of actors within a hospital to use an IPS to address this gap. OBJECTIVE To investigate the intentions of hospital visitors and employees (as the main actors in a hospital) to use an IPS in a hospital. METHODS The reasoned action approach was used, according to which the behavior of an individual is caused by behavioral intentions that are affected by (1) a persuasion that represents the individual's attitude toward the behavior, (2) perceived norms that describe the influence of other individuals, and (3) perceived norms that reflect the possibility of the individual influencing the behavior. RESULTS The survey responses of 323 hospital visitors and 304 hospital employees were examined separately using SmartPLS 3.3.3. Bootstrapping procedures with 5000 subsamples were used to test the models (one-tailed test with a significance level of .05). The results show that attitude (β=.536; P<.001; f²=.381) and perceived norms (β=.236; P<.001; f²=.087) are predictors of hospital visitors' intention to use an IPS. In addition, attitude (β=.283; P<.001; f²=.114), perceived norms (β=.301; P<.001; f²=.126), and perceived behavioral control (β=.178; P=.005; f²=.062) are predictors of hospital employees' intention to use an IPS. CONCLUSIONS This study has two major implications: (1) our extended reasoned action approach model, which takes into account spatial abilities and personal innovativeness, is appropriate for determining hospital visitors' and employees' intention to use an IPS; and (2) hospitals should invest in implementing IPS with a focus on (a) navigational services for hospital visitors and (b) asset tracking for hospital employees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Wichmann
- Chair of Service Operations, Institute of Business Administration, Rostock University, Rostock, Germany.,Wismar Business School, Wismar University, Wismar, Germany
| | - Michael Leyer
- Chair of Service Operations, Institute of Business Administration, Rostock University, Rostock, Germany.,Department of Management, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
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Ishimaru T, Ibayashi K, Nagata M, Hino A, Tateishi S, Tsuji M, Ogami A, Matsuda S, Fujino Y. Industry and workplace characteristics associated with the downloading of a COVID-19 contact tracing app in Japan: a nation-wide cross-sectional study. Environ Health Prev Med 2021; 26:94. [PMID: 34548033 PMCID: PMC8454017 DOI: 10.1186/s12199-021-01016-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To combat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many countries have used contact tracing apps, including Japan's voluntary-use contact-confirming application (COCOA). The current study aimed to identify industry and workplace characteristics associated with the downloading of this COVID-19 contact tracing app. METHODS This cross-sectional study of full-time workers used an online survey. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the associations of industry and workplace characteristics with contact tracing app use. RESULTS Of the 27,036 participants, 25.1% had downloaded the COCOA. Workers in the public service (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-1.45) and information technology (aOR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.20-1.58) industries were more likely to use the app than were those in the manufacturing industry. In contrast, app usage was less common among workers in the retail and wholesale (aOR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.76-0.99) and food/beverage (aOR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.70-0.94) industries, but further adjustment for company size attenuated these associations. Workers at larger companies were more likely to use the app. Compared with permanent employees, the odds of using the app were higher for managers and civil servants but lower for those who were self-employed. CONCLUSIONS Downloading of COCOA among Japanese workers was insufficient; thus, the mitigating effect of COCOA on the COVID-19 pandemic is considered to be limited. One possible reason for the under-implementation of the contact tracing app in the retail and wholesale and food/beverage industries is small company size, as suggested by the fully adjusted model results. An awareness campaign should be conducted to promote the widespread use of the contact tracing app in these industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiro Ishimaru
- Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan.
| | - Koki Ibayashi
- Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Masako Nagata
- Department of Occupational Health Practice and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Ayako Hino
- Department of Mental Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Seiichiro Tateishi
- Department of Occupational Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Mayumi Tsuji
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Akira Ogami
- Department of Work Systems and Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Shinya Matsuda
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Fujino
- Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
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Guillon M. Digital contact-tracing in France: uptake by COVID-19 risk factor and by exposure risk. J Public Health (Oxf) 2021; 44:e366-e375. [PMID: 34536958 DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdab349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few studies have investigated the influence of COVID-19 conspiracy theories on digital contact-tracing adoption and the differentiated uptake of digital contact-tracing by COVID-19 risk factor and by exposure risk. METHODS Using a cross-sectional survey conducted in France in November 2020 (N = 1042), we investigate the factors associated with the use of the French 'TousAntiCovid' contact-tracing application. Our independent variables of interest include COVID-19 and 'TousAntiCovid' perceptions, trust in the government, time and risk preferences and the level of adherence to COVID-19 conspiracy theories. We conduct regression analyses by COVID-19 risk factor and exposure groups. RESULTS Among the full sample, a negative association is found between the propensity to believe in COVID-19 conspiracy theories and the use of 'TousAntiCovid'. French respondents at risk of severe COVID-19 form are more likely to use 'TousAntiCovid'. No difference in uptake is found by exposure group. Group analyses indicate that the factors associated with the uptake of digital contact-tracing differ by COVID-19 risk factor and exposure risk. CONCLUSION Governmental communication to fight COVID-19 misinformation and to stress out the utility and data safety of 'TousAntiCovid' should be reinforced. Targeted communication campaigns should be conducted among low adoption groups and key groups in COVID-19 transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Guillon
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier Recherche en Economie, Avenue Raymond Dugrand, 34960 Cedex 2, Montpellier, France
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Abd Rahman A, Abdul Manaf R, Lim PY, Suppiah S, Juni MH. Developing a Risk Governance Framework on Radiological Emergency, Preparedness, and Response for Emergency Responders: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Res Protoc 2021; 10:e25877. [PMID: 34398793 PMCID: PMC8398732 DOI: 10.2196/25877] [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: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Risk governance involves processes and mechanisms to understand how risk decisions are taken and executed. This concept has gained a reputation over time as being essential for emerging comprehensive management that defines the success of an organization. While guiding documents that explain the use of risk management related to nuclear safety and security are available worldwide, few locally conducted studies have explained risk governance practices in areas where hazard usage is known, such as in radiological emergencies. Objective This paper describes a protocol that was used to determine several factors that influence emergency responders’ perceptions toward radiological risk practices and visualize the risk radiological framework for emergency preparedness and response. Methods A mixed methods study with a convergent design was performed. A qualitative analysis was performed using a case study approach where 6 key informants were purposely sampled for in-depth interview, and a cross-sectional study involving a self-administered questionnaire was conducted among approximately 260 emergency respondents from national regulatory, research, and services organizations. NVivo (version 12, QSR International) was used to analyze the interview transcripts and emerging themes were identified through abductive coding. Simultaneously, multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine significant predictors that form the equation model. Results The study is still underway. Qualitative findings were based on transcript-coding that informed the relevant thematic analysis, while statistical analyses including multiple logistic regression analysis measured the adjusted odds ratio of significant variables for the equation model. The study is expected to conclude in late 2021. Conclusions Important emerging themes and significant factors that are related to the emergency responders’ perceptions regarding radiological governance practices were determined through the convergent design. This potentially facilitated the development of a plausible radiological risk governance framework. Furthermore, our results will provide key insights that can be used in future studies. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/25877
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Abd Rahman
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Seri Kembangan, Malaysia
| | - Rosliza Abdul Manaf
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Seri Kembangan, Malaysia
| | - Poh Ying Lim
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Seri Kembangan, Malaysia
| | - Subapriya Suppiah
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Seri Kembangan, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Hanafiah Juni
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Seri Kembangan, Malaysia
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Große Deters F, Meier T, Milek A, Horn AB. Self-Focused and Other-Focused Health Concerns as Predictors of the Uptake of Corona Contact Tracing Apps: Empirical Study. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e29268. [PMID: 34227995 PMCID: PMC8360337 DOI: 10.2196/29268] [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: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Corona contact tracing apps are a novel and promising measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19. They can help to balance the need to maintain normal life and economic activities as much as possible while still avoiding exponentially growing case numbers. However, a majority of citizens need to be willing to install such an app for it to be effective. Hence, knowledge about drivers for app uptake is crucial. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to add to our understanding of underlying psychological factors motivating app uptake. More specifically, we investigated the role of concern for one's own health and concern to unknowingly infect others. METHODS A two-wave survey with 346 German-speaking participants from Switzerland and Germany was conducted. We measured the uptake of two decentralized contact tracing apps officially launched by governments (Corona-Warn-App, Germany; SwissCovid, Switzerland), as well as concerns regarding COVID-19 and control variables. RESULTS Controlling for demographic variables and general attitudes toward the government and the pandemic, logistic regression analysis showed a significant effect of self-focused concerns (odds ratio [OR] 1.64, P=.002). Meanwhile, concern of unknowingly infecting others did not contribute significantly to the prediction of app uptake over and above concern for one's own health (OR 1.01, P=.92). Longitudinal analyses replicated this pattern and showed no support for the possibility that app uptake provokes changes in levels of concern. Testing for a curvilinear relationship, there was no evidence that "too much" concern leads to defensive reactions and reduces app uptake. CONCLUSIONS As one of the first studies to assess the installation of already launched corona tracing apps, this study extends our knowledge of the motivational landscape of app uptake. Based on this, practical implications for communication strategies and app design are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenne Große Deters
- Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society, Berlin, Germany
- University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Tabea Meier
- University Research Priority Program, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Andrea B Horn
- University Research Priority Program, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for Gerontology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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O'Connell J, Abbas M, Beecham S, Buckley J, Chochlov M, Fitzgerald B, Glynn L, Johnson K, Laffey J, McNicholas B, Nuseibeh B, O'Callaghan M, O'Keeffe I, Razzaq A, Rekanar K, Richardson I, Simpkin A, Storni C, Tsvyatkova D, Walsh J, Welsh T, O'Keeffe D. Best Practice Guidance for Digital Contact Tracing Apps: A Cross-disciplinary Review of the Literature. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2021; 9:e27753. [PMID: 34003764 PMCID: PMC8189288 DOI: 10.2196/27753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Digital contact tracing apps have the potential to augment contact tracing systems and disrupt COVID-19 transmission by rapidly identifying secondary cases prior to the onset of infectiousness and linking them into a system of quarantine, testing, and health care worker case management. The international experience of digital contact tracing apps during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates how challenging their design and deployment are. OBJECTIVE This study aims to derive and summarize best practice guidance for the design of the ideal digital contact tracing app. METHODS A collaborative cross-disciplinary approach was used to derive best practice guidance for designing the ideal digital contact tracing app. A search of the indexed and gray literature was conducted to identify articles describing or evaluating digital contact tracing apps. MEDLINE was searched using a combination of free-text terms and Medical Subject Headings search terms. Gray literature sources searched were the World Health Organization Institutional Repository for Information Sharing, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control publications library, and Google, including the websites of many health protection authorities. Articles that were acceptable for inclusion in this evidence synthesis were peer-reviewed publications, cohort studies, randomized trials, modeling studies, technical reports, white papers, and media reports related to digital contact tracing. RESULTS Ethical, user experience, privacy and data protection, technical, clinical and societal, and evaluation considerations were identified from the literature. The ideal digital contact tracing app should be voluntary and should be equitably available and accessible. User engagement could be enhanced by small financial incentives, enabling users to tailor aspects of the app to their particular needs and integrating digital contact tracing apps into the wider public health information campaign. Adherence to the principles of good data protection and privacy by design is important to convince target populations to download and use digital contact tracing apps. Bluetooth Low Energy is recommended for a digital contact tracing app's contact event detection, but combining it with ultrasound technology may improve a digital contact tracing app's accuracy. A decentralized privacy-preserving protocol should be followed to enable digital contact tracing app users to exchange and record temporary contact numbers during contact events. The ideal digital contact tracing app should define and risk-stratify contact events according to proximity, duration of contact, and the infectiousness of the case at the time of contact. Evaluating digital contact tracing apps requires data to quantify app downloads, use among COVID-19 cases, successful contact alert generation, contact alert receivers, contact alert receivers that adhere to quarantine and testing recommendations, and the number of contact alert receivers who subsequently are tested positive for COVID-19. The outcomes of digital contact tracing apps' evaluations should be openly reported to allow for the wider public to review the evaluation of the app. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, key considerations and best practice guidance for the design of the ideal digital contact tracing app were derived from the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- James O'Connell
- Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Manzar Abbas
- Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Sarah Beecham
- Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Jim Buckley
- Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Muslim Chochlov
- Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Brian Fitzgerald
- Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Liam Glynn
- School of Medicine, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Kevin Johnson
- Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - John Laffey
- School of Medicine, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
- University Hospital Galway, Saolta, Health Services Executive, Galway, Ireland
| | - Bairbre McNicholas
- School of Medicine, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
- University Hospital Galway, Saolta, Health Services Executive, Galway, Ireland
| | - Bashar Nuseibeh
- Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
- School of Computing and Communications, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ian O'Keeffe
- Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Abdul Razzaq
- Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Kaavya Rekanar
- Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Ita Richardson
- Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Andrew Simpkin
- School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Cristiano Storni
- Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Damyanka Tsvyatkova
- Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Jane Walsh
- School of Psychology, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Thomas Welsh
- Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Derek O'Keeffe
- Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
- School of Medicine, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
- University Hospital Galway, Saolta, Health Services Executive, Galway, Ireland
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