Framework for policymaking on self-management of health by older adults using technologies

BACKGROUND

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to support care management exponentially increased. Governments around the world adapted existing programs to meet the needs of patients. The reactivity of governments, however, led to changes that were inequitable, undermining groups such as older adults living with chronic diseases and disability. Policies that align with recent developments in ICTs can promote better health outcomes and innovation in care management. A framework for policymaking presents potential for overcoming barriers and gaps that exist in current policies.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to examine how well a provisional framework for policymaking represented the interactions between various components of government policymaking on older adults' self-management of chronic disease and disability using ICTs.

METHODS

Through an online survey, the study engaged policymakers from various ministries of the government of Ontario in the evaluation and revision of the framework. The data were analyzed using simple statistics and by interpreting written comments.

RESULTS

Nine participants from three ministries in the government of Ontario responded to the questionnaire. Overall, participants described the framework as useful and identified areas for improvement and further clarification. A revised version of the framework is presented.

CONCLUSIONS

Through the revision exercise, our study confirmed the relevance and usefulness for a policymaking framework on the self-management of disease and disability of older adults' using ICTs. Further inquiries should examine the application of the framework to jurisdictions other than Ontario considering the dissociated nature of Canadian provincial healthcare systems.

Physical activity self-efficacy online intervention for adults with obesity: protocol for a feasibility study

BACKGROUND

Even without weight loss, adults with obesity can greatly benefit from regular physical activity. The Physical Activity Self-efficacy (PAS) intervention is an online behavioral intervention newly developed to promote physical activity in adults with obesity by providing capability-enhancing learning opportunities. The objective of this manuscript is to describe the protocol for a feasibility study designed to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of implementing the PAS online intervention for adults with obesity recruited from a local weight management center in the United States of America (USA).

METHODS

The study design is a prospective, double-blind, parallel-group individual randomized pilot trial. Thirty participants will be randomly assigned to the PAS group or usual care group to achieve a 1:1 group assignment. Recruitment of participants is scheduled to begin on 1 March 2024 at a local weight management center within a private healthcare system in the USA. There are six eligibility criteria for participation in this study (e.g., a body mass index ≥ 25.00 kg/m2). Eligibility verification and data collection will be conducted online. Three waves of data collection will take up to 14 weeks depending on participants' progress in the study. The primary feasibility outcomes in the study will be: (a) participation rate, (b) engagement behavior, and (c) a preliminary effect size estimate for the effect of the PAS intervention on physical activity. Instruments designed to measure demographic information, anthropometric characteristics, self-efficacy, and acceptability will be included in the survey battery. A research-grade accelerometer will be used to measure free-living physical activity objectively. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistical models under an intention-to-treat approach.

DISCUSSION

Results are intended to inform the preparation of a future definitive randomized controlled trial.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05935111, registered 7 July 2023.

Citizen scientists' engagement in flood risk-related data collection: a case study in Bui River Basin, Vietnam

Time constraints, financial limitations, and inadequate tools restrict the flood data collection in undeveloped countries, especially in the Asian and African regions. Engaging citizens in data collection and contribution has the potential to overcome these challenges. This research demonstrates the applicability of citizen science for gathering flood risk-related data on residential flooding, land use information, and flood damage to paddy fields for the Bui River Basin in Vietnam. Locals living in or around flood-affected areas participated in data collection campaigns as citizen scientists using self-investigation or investigation with a data collection app, a web form, and paper forms. We developed a community-based rainfall monitoring network in the study area using low-cost rain gauges to draw locals' attention to the citizen science program. Fifty-nine participants contributed 594 completed questionnaires and measurements for four investigated subjects in the first year of implementation. Five citizen scientists were active participants and contributed more than 50 completed questionnaires or measurements, while nearly 50% of citizen scientists participated only one time. We compared the flood risk-related data obtained from citizen scientists with other independent data sources and found that the agreement between the two datasets on flooding points, land use classification, and the flood damage rate to paddy fields was acceptable (overall agreement above 73%). Rainfall monitoring activities encouraged the participants to proactively update data on flood events and land use situations during the data collection campaign. The study's outcomes demonstrate that citizen science can help to fill the gap in flood data in data-scarce areas.

What is the next step of ICT development? The changes of ICT use in promoting elderly healthcare access: A systematic literature review

The objective of this study was to undertake a comprehensive review of the evidence published, with a focus on understanding the experiences of the elderly in leveraging Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for their healthcare needs during the COVID-19 period. In compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, this review scrutinized all peer-reviewed articles in English sourced from PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science, targeting studies that focused exclusively on the elderly within the COVID-19 timeframe, incorporated ICT-based technology as intervention, and were associated with the assessment of the process of employing ICT for healthcare needs. The search strategy identified 1752 records, of which 34 studies met the inclusion criteria. The functionality of ICT was categorized, types of barriers were identified, and the subsequent changes that the elderly population underwent were synthesized and deliberated. This review offers valuable insights into the elderly's subjective experiences in utilizing ICT, which may offer guidance for future ICT development geared towards enhancing the well-being of the elderly. Future research should incorporate the perspectives of relevant healthcare providers in evaluating the effectiveness of ICT usage. Further studies are also needed on underserved elderly groups to provide a more holistic view.

Linkages between ICT diffusion, renewable energy consumption, and carbon emissions: a comparative analysis of SAARC, MENA, and OECD countries

This paper examines the linkages between information and communication technology (ICT) diffusion, renewable energy consumption (REC), and carbon (CO2) emissions across three distinct regions: the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations. We explore the causal pathways linking these variables and perform a comparative assessment of region-specific patterns with their policy implications. Utilizing a panel dataset of 28 countries from 1998 to 2019, we employ panel ARDL, FMOLS, DOLS, and D-H causality tests. The comprehensive analysis of the sample reveals that ICT development enhances CO2 emissions, whereas REC reduces emissions. However, the comparative analysis suggests a positive linkage between ICT diffusion and CO2 emissions in MENA and OECD countries but a negative linkage in SAARC countries. Further, REC substantially reduces emissions in MENA and OECD countries but has an insignificant effect in SAARC countries. Our findings corroborate the first-order effect of ICT (negative environmental impact) in MENA and OECD countries, with contextual variations attributed to economic structure, financial sector growth, trade openness, and industrialization. These findings offer pivotal insights for policymakers to leverage ICT capabilities and REC to attain sustainable development and mitigate climate change consequences.

Cluster-randomized implementation trial of two facilitation strategies to implement a novel information and communications technology at the Veterans Health Administration

BACKGROUND

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) improve quality and efficiency of healthcare, but effective practices for implementing new ICTs are unknown. From 2019 to 2021, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) implemented FLOW3, an ICT that facilitates prosthetic limb care. The goal of this study was to compare the impact of two facilitation strategies on FLOW3 adoption, implementation, and sustainment.

METHODS

FLOW3 is a computerized workflow management system comprised of three applications that facilitate the three steps for prosthesis authorization. During VHA's implementation of FLOW3, we randomized 60 VHA sites to basic or enhanced facilitation groups. Basic facilitation included a manualized training toolkit and office hours. Enhanced facilitation included basic facilitation plus monthly learning collaboratives and site-specific performance reports. Outcomes included time to adoption of FLOW3 and complete FLOW3 utilization rates during implementation and sustainment periods. We compared outcomes between sites assigned to basic versus enhanced facilitation groups. Results were calculated using both intent-to-treat (ITT) and dose-response analyses. The dose-response analysis used a per-protocol approach and required sites in the enhanced facilitation group to join two of six learning collaboratives; sites that attended fewer were reassigned to the basic group.

RESULTS

Randomization assigned 30 sites to enhanced facilitation and 30 to basic. Eighteen of 30 randomized sites were included in the enhanced facilitation group for dose-response analysis. During the implementation period, enhanced facilitation sites were significantly more likely to completely utilize FLOW3 than basic facilitation sites (HR: 0.17; 95% CI: 1.18, 4.53, p = 0.02) based on ITT analysis. In the dose-response analysis, the enhanced group was 2.32 (95% CI: 1.18, 4.53) times more likely to adopt FLOW3 than basic group (p = 0.014).

CONCLUSIONS

Enhanced facilitation including a learning collaborative and customized feedback demonstrated greater likelihood for sites to complete a prosthetics consult using FLOW3 throughout our study. We identified statistically significant differences in likelihood of adoption using the dose-response analysis and complete utilization rate using ITT analysis during the implementation period. All sites that implemented FLOW3 demonstrated improvement in completion rate during the sustainment period, but the difference between facilitation groups was not statistically significant. Further study to understand sustainability is warranted.

How does Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry agglomeration affect carbon emission efficiency? Evidence from China

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry takes on critical significance in promoting economic development and reducing carbon emissions. From the agglomeration perspective, how the ICT industry agglomeration affects carbon emission efficiency (CEE) in 30 provinces in China from 2006 to 2020 is innovatively investigated. We measured CEE using a dynamic directional distance function-based DEA model. Then, based on the research hypotheses, the specific impact and transmission mechanism of ICT industrial agglomeration on CEE are revealed using a spatial Dubin model and a threshold panel model. The results show that: (1) the ICT industry agglomeration exerts a remarkable inverted "U-shaped" effect on CEE. This non-linear effect is significant in the eastern and central regions, but not in the western region. (2) ICT industry agglomeration can affect CEE in neighboring regions. The spatial spillover effect shows an inverted "U-shaped" in the central region, positive in the western region, and insignificant in the eastern region. (3) when green technology innovation exceeds the threshold value (4.948), ICT industry agglomeration positively affects CEE, and when energy structure exceeds the threshold value (0.389), their marginal effects are significantly negative. The threshold effect also shows regional heterogeneity. This research proposes policy recommendations focusing on accelerating the ICT industry transformation, leveraging the spillover and technological advantages of agglomeration, and enhancing regional cooperation.

Assessing the environmental effects of ICT and renewable energy: roles of financial development, innovation, and trade

In today's world of rapidly expanding economies, the fundamental aim of most nations is to raise the quality of living for their citizens. The investigation aims to analyze how environmental rules affect the emergence of environmentally conscious economies. This research focused on China's 26 provinces to investigate the elements influencing green economic development. These components included information and communication technology (ICT), industrial structure (IND), human capital (EDU), and foreign direct investment. Spatial modeling and SBM methods were utilized to show that there is still a connection between the variables after all these years using yearly time series data that began in 2000. Overall, the results suggest that environmental regulation helps green economic development (GDE), whereas industrial structure significantly hinders. Similar to the previous point, information and communication technology has a favorable influence on building a sustainable economy. The problem of ensuring long-term economic growth via information and communication technology is complicated and has scholars engaged in exciting discussion. The expansion of the green economy is also affected by factors such as human capital and foreign direct investment. This study's findings illuminate the economic effects of environmental regulations and support the contention that such laws are necessary for accomplishing the win-win goals of green economic development and environmental protection. This means that the research provides a fresh perspective to consider the monetary effects of environmental restrictions.

Digital financial inclusion, environmental quality, and economic development: the contributions of financial development and investments in OECD countries

Economic development has long acknowledged the significance of financial innovation and technological advancement. Communication technology increases the availability of information, generates new modes of communication, restructures production processes, and enhances the efficacy of a wide range of economic operations. This study investigates the effects of digital financial inclusion and information and communication technology (ICT) on economic growth in 38 OECD nations between 2004 and 2020, with a focus on the contributions of financial development and investments in non-financial assets. To this end, advanced econometric methodologies are employed to conduct an exhaustive empirical analysis utilizing second-generation panel unit root and cointegration techniques. The results demonstrate a positive correlation between digital financial inclusion, information and communication technology, population growth, and non-financial investments in OECD nations. It is recommended that OECD policymakers promote digital financial inclusion by utilizing cost-effective digital technologies to reach currently financially excluded and underserved populations. This can be achieved through a variety of formal financial services that are tailored to their needs and responsibly delivered at a cost that is affordable to customers and sustainable for providers. Moreover, policymakers are recommended to promote information and communication technologies that strengthen the means for implementing Sustainable Development Goals through international cooperation and coordination, technology transfer, capacity building, strengthening multi-stakeholder partnerships, and data monitoring and accountability. Finally, a detailed conclusion is provided to discuss the research limitations and future directions.

Use and benefit of information, communication, and assistive technology among community-dwelling older adults - a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Technology can support healthy aging and empower older adults to live independently. However, technology adoption by older adults, particularly assistive technology (AT), is limited and little is known about the types of AT used among older adults. This study explored the use of key information and communication technologies (ICT) and AT among community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 65.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 65 in southern Germany using a paper-based questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions on the three domains sociodemographic aspects, health status, and technology use. Technology use was considered separately for key ICT (smartphone, computer/laptop, and tablet) and a range of 31 different AT. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, univariate analyses, and Bernoulli Naïve Bayes modelling.

RESULTS

The questionnaire was answered by 616 participants (response rate: 24.64%). ICT were used by 497 (80.68%) participants and were associated with lower age, higher level of education, living together with someone, availability of internet connection, higher interest in technology, and better health status (p < .05). No association was found with sex and size of the hometown. The most frequently owned AT were a landline phone, a body scale, and a blood pressure monitor. Several AT related to functionality, (instrumental) activities of daily living- (IADL), and morbidity were used more frequently among non-ICT users compared to ICT-users: senior mobile phone (19.33% vs. 3.22%), in-house emergency call (13.45% vs. 1.01%), hearing aid (26.89% vs. 16.7%), personal lift (7.56% vs. 1.61%), electronic stand-up aid (4.2% vs. 0%). Those with higher interest in technology reported higher levels of benefit from technology use.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the benefits older adults can gain from technology, its use remains low, especially among those with multimorbidity. Particularly newer, more innovative and (I)ADL-related AT appear underutilized. Considering the potential challenges in providing adequate care in the future, it may be crucial to support the use of these specific AT among older and frailer populations. To focus scientific and societal work, AT with a high impact on autonomy ((I)ADL/disease-related) should be distinguished from devices with a low impact on autonomy (household-/ comfort-related).

Experienced barriers in the use of ICT for social interaction in older adults ageing in place: a qualitative systematic review protocol (SYSR-D-22-00848)

BACKGROUND

Several information and communication technologies (ICT) have been developed to enhance social connectedness of older adults aging in place, although they are not accessible for all. Barriers in using ICT might for example relate to health issues, sensory loss, lack of technical skills, or reluctance to use technologies. Though knowledge on these barriers is crucial for the development and implementation of ICT for older adults, no systematic review was found on this subject. The proposed qualitative systematic review aims to explore barriers experienced by older adults aging in place in using ICT for social interaction.

METHODS

The review will be conducted in accordance with the JBI methodology. Databases for search will include MEDLINE (via PubMed), CINAHL (via EBSCO), and Web of Science (ISI), among others. Included studies focus on older adults ageing in place 60 years or older. Pairs of authors will independently, by following agreed guidelines, assess the eligibility of studies, and extract data. The testing of eligibility criteria and screening of titles, abstracts, and full texts will be performed. The findings will describe for example populations, context, culture, and the phenomena of interest. Qualitative research findings will, where possible, be pooled by using JBI SUMARI for the meta-aggregation approach.

DISCUSSION

The mapping of published studies has the potential to identify research gaps in the existing literature, which again may inform developers and stakeholders in designing more user-friendly and adaptive ICT solutions for older people ageing in place.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

CRD42022370044.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception of Undergraduate Dental Students on Information and Communication Technology and Computer-assisted Learning

Introduction

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in education and clinical purposes is growing immensely. The usage skill, attitude of dental students, and difficulties faced by students are important concerns to be addressed.

Objective

The study was designed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and skills of ICT of undergraduate dental students via assessing the ease of computer and internet use among students, the level of computer skills and training of the students, and usage pattern of computer activities.

Materials and methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among students of three dental colleges in Haryana using a self-designed questionnaire having sections related to demographics, devices, softwares and search engine usage, ICT skills, ICT attitude, and educational and social use.

Results

The response rate was 81.96%. A total of 99.1% of the individuals responded affirmatively to the usage of mobile phones, 48.4 and 13.1% for laptops and tablets, respectively. The average duration of use of smartphones per day was 4.2121 ± 2.834 hours. Google was opted as the most popular search engine used and PubMed the least popular. Only 12.9% of participants showed a negative attitude toward the use of ICT in studies. More social use than academic use was observed. Attitude scores showed a significant correlation with the educational use of ICT (r = 0.89, p = 0.003).

Conclusion

Most of the participants were well acquainted with the usage and had a positive attitude toward ICT for educational purposes. Sensitization and training in scientific literature search and basics of ICT and their practical utilization in dental education, research, and practice should be included in the curriculum.

How to cite this article

Sikka N, Arya L, Bala S, et al. Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception of Undergraduate Dental Students on Information and Communication Technology and Computer-assisted Learning. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16(5):711-715.

Nexus between information and communication technology, social capital, and sustainable development: the leading role of terrorism and financial development

Even though the existing studies have extensively investigated the impacts of information and communication technology and social capital on sustainable development, the literature overlooks the role of their interaction effect in the level of emissions. To fill this gap in the existing body of ICT-environment literature, this article analyzes the impact of ICT, social capital, terrorism, and income on sustainable development using panel data model for Asian and Middle East countries from 2005 to 2022. The findings show that ICT and education significantly reduce CO2 emissions, while income increases the CO2 emissions. Moreover, innovation, trade, and financial development reduce the CO2 emission from increased ICT. The findings suggest that ICT is an important factor in increasing income and social capital and improving investment in sustainable development. The region's economies have far more serious consequences for internet users than those of Asian countries. Nonetheless, according to the policy recommendations of this study, governments in Asia and the Middle East should invest more in technology and other systems to take advantage of technology and achieve sustainable development.

Analyzing the validity of load capability curve: how economic complexity, renewable energy, R&D, and communication technologies take their part in G-20 countries

Intense anthropogenic contamination of the air, water, and soil inspires scholars to examine the causes of pollution and provide remedies to assure environmental sustainability. Therefore, researchers in this study are driven to investigate the causes of the severe air, water, and soil contamination that has resulted from human activity and to offer recommendations for achieving environmental sustainability. This research contributes to the ecological works by suggesting the load capability curve (LCH) hypothesis and using the load capacity factor (LC) to investigate components influencing climatic quality. The LC enables thorough climatic value examination when comparing ecological footprint and biocapacity. Information and communication technologies (INF), development and research (R&D), renewable energy (RE) usage, and disposable income are all examined, considering their effects on the load capacity factor. This analysis utilizes the cross-sectionally augmented autoregressive distributed lag estimator and the Westerlund cointegration on data for the G-20 countries from 1995 to 2018. Empirical evidence suggests that renewables, R&D spending, economic complexity, and INF all benefit environmental quality. This study cannot support the LCH hypothesis, which states that increasing income worsens ecological conditions up to a certain point but then aids in improving environmental quality afterward. Based on the findings, G-20 governments should prioritize environmental policies that boost economic growth, spread renewable energy, prioritize research and development spending, and assist the implementation of green INF infrastructure.

Examining the role of ICT, transportation energy consumption, and urbanization in CO2 emissions in Asia: a threshold analysis

ICT is viewed in earlier research as a double-edged sword that may either help or hurt the environment. Asian nations' ICT penetration has significantly expanded in recent years, and they are eager to bring about a digital revolution by building up their ICT infrastructure while consuming less energy for transportation and urban growth. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to investigate how ICT might reduce CO₂ emissions through the use of transport energy and urban development. Empirical and theoretical debates have been remaining ambiguous and contentious topic of whether energy consumed by the transport sector and urbanization causes CO₂ emanation in Asia, and what role ICT played in determining the level of CO₂ remains unanswered. This study adds to the ongoing discussion for sustainable transportation in ten Asian nations for 30 years that concentrate on the relationship between the energy consumption of transport, urbanization, ICT, and carbon emanation (1990-2020) and checked the validity of EKC. The STIRPAT and panel threshold models having two regimes are used to explore the stochastic impacts of the dependent and explanatory variables. We have divided explanatory into two categories, that is, the threshold variable ICT and the regime-dependent variables urbanization and transport energy consumption. Our results confirm that the EKC hypothesis holds in these Asian economies. Thus, our findings indicate that the environmental quality improves in terms of reduction in CO₂ emissions when ICT passes the threshold level due to the technological advancement in ICT dominating the scale effect induced by ICT. Furthermore, the possible policy recommendations are discussed according to the findings.

How does financial development influence carbon emission intensity in the OECD countries: Some insights from the information and communication technology perspective

Based on an extended STIRPAT framework, this paper investigates the effects of financial development on carbon emission intensity in OECD countries from linear and non-linear perspectives, where financial development is proxied by three dimensions: financial deepening, financial deepening, and financial size, and financial efficiency. Fortunately, three types of financial development significantly alleviate carbon emission intensity. An extended moderation effect model is built to estimate the effect of financial development via information and communication technology on carbon emission intensity. The results reveal that internet-based information and communication technology and service-based information and communication technology are positively correlated with carbon emission intensity. To effectively handle the endogeneity issue triggered by causal relationships between variables and allow potential non-linear nexus, an advanced dynamic panel threshold model incorporating the generalised method of moments is employed to investigate how financial development affects carbon emission intensity under different types of information and communication technology. Empirical evidence demonstrates the significance of the non-linear nexus between financial development and carbon emission intensity. Lastly, heterogeneity analysis demonstrates the existence of heterogeneity associated with institutional quality, degree of economic development, and resource endowment concerning the effect of financial development on carbon emission intensity among the OECD countries.

Information and communication technology use by students with disabilities in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic

Recently, due to the spread of COVID-19, the implementation of remote learning has been increasing worldwide. This study aims to analyze the difficulties and convenience of using information and communication technology (ICT) for students with disabilities and changes in their perceptions of ICT use after the completion of courses for each form of remote learning. The survey included 122 students with disabilities and 314 students without disabilities via a web-based questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of four situations, categorized according to the type of remote classes. We conducted an analysis of variance using a two-factor mixed design with disability (non-paired: two levels) × situations (paired: four levels) regarding perceptions of resistance toward ICT and self-rated comprehension as the dependent variables. Results show that students with disabilities were more positive about using ICT than students without disabilities in many items. However, before the courses that required the use of relatively new application software, such as web conferencing systems, students with disabilities showed significantly higher levels of resistance and lower levels of self-assessed comprehension. Further, a comparison of the amount of change in perceptions before and after the course reveals that students with disabilities showed significantly more improvement in negative items before the course. These results suggest the importance of providing opportunities for students with disability to learn how to use ICT and understand its convenience in an environment similar to an actual classroom, given the rapid changes occurring in ICT.

Does workplace telepressure get under the skin? Protocol for an ambulatory assessment study on wellbeing and health-related physiological, experiential, and behavioral concomitants of workplace telepressure

BACKGROUND

The daily working life of many employees requires the use of modern information and communication technology (ICT) devices such as computers, tablets, and smartphones. The double-edged nature of digital work environments has been increasingly highlighted. Benefits such as increased flexibility come at a personal cost. One of the potential downsides is workplace telepressure, i.e., the experience of urge and preoccupation to quickly reply to work-related messages and demands using ICT. There is initial - mainly survey-based-evidence that workplace telepressure may have negative effects on a variety of wellbeing and health outcomes.

AIMS AND HYPOTHESES

Adopting the Effort-Recovery Model and the concept of allostatic load as theoretical frameworks, the present study aims to investigate the hypothesis that workplace telepressure is significantly associated with increased "wear and tear", in the form of more psychosomatic complaints, worse sleep quality (self-reported and actigraphy-based), worse mood, and biological alterations (lower cardiac vagal tone, lower anabolic balance defined as the ratio of salivary dehydroepiandrosterone to salivary cortisol, and higher salivary alpha-amylase). Additionally, the study aims to investigate the hypothesis that connection to work defined as work-related workload and work-related perseverative cognition plays a significant role in the mediation of these relationships.

METHODS

To test our hypotheses, we will conduct an ambulatory assessment study with a convenience sample of 120 healthy workers regularly using ICTs for job communication. For one week, participants will be asked to complete electronic diaries assessing their level of workplace telepressure, psychosomatic complaints, sleep quality, mood, work-related workload, and work-related perseverative cognition. They will also continuously wear the Bittium Faros 180L ECG monitor, the wrist-worn actigraph MotionWatch 8, and perform saliva sampling five times per day.

DISCUSSION

This study will be the most comprehensive ambulatory investigation of workplace telepressure and its psychophysiological concomitants to date and constitutes an important step towards understanding how high levels of workplace telepressure may lead in the long term to secondary alterations (e.g., hypertension, chronic inflammation) and disease (e.g., heart disease). The findings of this study are also anticipated to contribute to guiding the development and implementation of interventions, programs, and policies relevant to employees' digital wellbeing.

Impact of information and communication software on multiprofessional team collaboration in outpatient palliative care - a qualitative study on providers' perspectives

BACKGROUND

The communication processes between different stakeholders in outpatient palliative care face challenges when multiprofessional teams want to keep each other updated on patient information. Meanwhile, the software market offers different tools to connect these teams in real-time to improve communication. In the research project ADAPTIVE (Impact of Digital Technologies in Palliative Care), we investigated how information and communication technology affects collaboration and work in multiprofessional teams and what advantages and disadvantages the use of said software might entail.

METHODS

We conducted 26 semi-structured interviews between August and November 2020 with general practitioners (n = 8), palliative care nurses (n = 17), and a pharmacist (n = 1). They were conducted in a hybrid format, meaning that both face-to-face interviews and telephone interviews were carried out. Subsequently, we analyzed the interviews following the qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz.

RESULTS

Information and communication software has the potential to enable faster communication and delegation of tasks and to simplify communication and task management between providers. Furthermore, it creates the opportunity to decrease unnecessary supervision of duties and responsibilities for physicians in multiprofessional teams. Therefore, it allows facilitating the collaboration between multiprofessional teams that work independently of each other but care for the same patients. All providers have the same knowledge about their patients without time-consuming coordination such as phone calls or search processes in paper documentation. On the other hand, mishandling, poor Internet connection, and unfamiliarity with various features can diminish these benefits.

CONCLUSION

Even though the use of such software offers many advantages, these advantages only reveal themselves if the software is used as it was intended by the developers. Misuse and unawareness of the individual functions can lead to the full potential not being realized. The software developers frequently offer specialized training, and the multiprofessional teams should utilize that to improve team communication, facilitate tasks, and allow physicians to delegate tasks.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study is registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS): https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00021603 (Registration number: DRKS00021603; date of first registration: 02/07/2020).

Are we ready for telemonitoring inflammatory bowel disease? A review of advances, enablers, and barriers

This review summarizes the evidence about telemonitoring in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). To give an overview of the advances performed, as well as the enablers and barriers which favoured/hindered telemonitoring implementation. We performed a literature search in PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Database, Web of Science and Conference Proceedings. Titles and abstracts published up to September 2022 were screened for a set of inclusion criteria: telemonitoring intervention, IBD as the main disease, and a primary study performed. Ninety-seven reports were selected for full review. Finally, 20 were included for data extraction and critical appraisal. Most studies used telemonitoring combined with tele-education, and programs evolved from home telemanagement systems towards web portals through mHealth applications. Web systems demonstrated patients’ acceptance, improvement in quality of life, disease activity and knowledge, with a good cost-effectiveness profile in the short-term. Initially, telemonitoring was almost restricted to ulcerative colitis, but new patient reported outcome measures, home-based tests and mobile devices favoured its expansion to different patients´ categories. However, technological and knowledge advances led to legal, ethical, economical and logistic issues. Standardization of remote healthcare is necessary, to improve the interoperability of systems as well as to address liability concerns and users´ preferences. Telemonitoring IBD is well accepted and improves clinical outcomes at a lower cost in the short-term. Funders, policymakers, providers, and patients need to align their interests to overcome the emerging barriers for its full implementation.

The effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions using information and communication technologies for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Although behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia are a global public health challenge, non-pharmacological interventions using information and communication technologies can be an affordable, cost-effective, and innovative solution.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions using information and communication technologies on the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia and identify potential moderators of intervention effects.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from May 2022. Randomized controlled trials that examined the effects of non-pharmacological interventions using information and communication technologies on the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia were included. A meta-analysis using a random-effects model was performed to calculate the pooled standardized mean differences between overall symptoms and each type of symptom. For moderator analyses, subgroup and meta-regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Sixteen trials (15 articles) met the eligibility criteria. The interventions were grouped into activity engagement interventions using digital health that provided music and reminiscence therapy, physical exercise, social interaction interventions using social robots, and telehealth-based care aid interventions that provided coaching or counseling programs. Pooled evidence demonstrated that non-pharmacological interventions using information and communication technologies exerted a large effect on depression (SMD = -1.088, 95% CI -1.983 to -0.193, p = 0.017), a moderate effect on overall behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (SMD = -0.664, 95% CI -0.990 to -0.338, p < 0.001), and agitation (SMD = -0.586, 95% CI -1.130 to -0.042, p = 0.035). No effects on neuropsychiatric symptoms (SMD = -0.251, 95% CI -0.579 to 0.077, p = 0.133), anxiety (SMD = -0.541, 95% CI -1.270 to 0.188, p = 0.146), and apathy (SMD = -0.830, 95% CI -1.835 to 0.176, p = 0.106) were reported. Moderator analyses identified the mean age of the participants as a potential moderator of intervention effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence from this systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that non-pharmacological interventions, using information and communication technologies, were an applicable approach to managing behavioral and psychological symptoms among older adults with dementia, with moderate to large effect sizes. However, evidence on anxiety and apathy is inconclusive due to the limited number of existing randomized controlled trials. Future studies with subgroup analyses are warranted to conclude the most effective types of intervention using information and communication technologies for each type of symptom.

REGISTRATION

CRD42021258498.

How ICT and globalization interact with the environment: a case of the Chinese economy

An era of rapid changes in the technological and economic aspects of developing and developed countries can have detrimental extortions on the environment around the world. From the perspective of globalization, the rapid development and growth can reroute to enhance the interaction between people, organizations, and countries across the globe including China through the usage of information and communication technology which in turn contributes to the economic growth of one side, whereas on the other side, it affects the environmental quality. Referring to this aspect, this study is focused to inspect the link between information and communication technology, and globalization with the facets of degradation in the environment that as CO₂ emission and ecological footprint by keeping the view of economic growth prospects as well via using the EKC hypothesis. In our study, time-series data was employed from 1987 to 2020 for China using the Dynamic ARDL approach. Grounded on the findings of the study, economic growth from the sight of GDP fallouts in rising the emission of CO₂ and EFP in the short and long run whereas GDP sqr cause decrease in the CO₂ emission and EFP. Thus, this authorizes the presence of inverted U-shaped existence among GDP sqr, CO₂ emission, and EFP. Therefore, this provides provision for the EKC hypothesis in China. Furthermore, ICT and globalization cause a decline in the emission of CO₂ and EFP in the short and long run respectively. In combatting challenges linked to the environment, globalization, as well as ICT, is seen as a crucial factor based on the pieces of evidence in our study while the policy implications are also proposed in the paper.

Knowledge and utilisation of information and communication technology among radiographers in a lower-middle-income country

INTRODUCTION

Understanding the current ICT-related experience is essential for planning and effectively implementing quality healthcare services. Hence, this study aims to assess the knowledge and utilisation of ICT among radiographers in Sri Lanka.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 590 practicing radiographers in Sri Lanka. Data was collected through a postal survey using a structured self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of three sections: socio-demographic characteristics, existing knowledge of ICT, and utilisation of ICT applications and facilities.

RESULTS

A total of 416 radiographers returned the questionnaire giving a response rate of 70.5%. Considering the overall ICT knowledge, 24.0% of the respondents possessed good knowledge, while 54.3% and 21.6% reported having fair and poor knowledge, respectively. The knowledge of ICT was significantly associated with gender, age, level of education, duration of service, and previous ICT training experience (p < 0.05). Digital radiography and electronic patient record (EPR) systems were used by 8% and 17.8% of respondents, respectively. Inadequate ICT facilities (56.7%) were identified as the most significant challenge for radiographers to use ICT.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of the respondents in this study had a fair knowledge of ICT, and this knowledge was significantly associated with certain demographic factors. Further, it was found that access to certain ICT applications, such as digital radiography and EPR systems, is limited. Hence, this study highlighted the importance of providing systematic, comprehensive and regular ICT training programmes and improving access to ICT facilities for radiographers.

IMPLICATIONS OF PRACTICE

The study provides insight into the significance of improving ICT literacy among radiographers in the field. In addition, the findings may draw policymakers' attention to improving radiographers' access to the latest technologies.

Digital healthcare for dementia and cognitive impairment: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, are a global health problem. Digital healthcare technology is an innovative management tool for delaying the progression of dementia and mild cognitive impairment. Thanks to digital technology, the possibility of safe and effective care for patients at home and in the community is increasing, even in situations that threaten the continuity of care, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is difficult to select appropriate technology and alternatives due to the lack of comprehensive reviews on the types and characteristics of digital technology for cognitive impairment, including their effects and limitations.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to identify the types of digital healthcare technology for dementia and mild cognitive impairment and comprehensively examine how its outcome measures were constructed in line with each technology's purpose.

METHODS

According to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, a literature search was conducted in August 2021 using Medline (Ovid), EMBASE, and Cochrane library. The search terms were constructed based on Population-Concept-Context mnemonic: 'dementia', 'cognitive impairment', and 'cognitive decline'; digital healthcare technology, such as big data, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, robots, applications, and so on; and the outcomes of digital technology, such as accuracy of diagnosis and physical, mental, and social health. After grasping overall research trends, the literature was classified and analysed in terms of the type of service users and technology.

RESULTS

In total, 135 articles were selected. Since 2015, an increase in literature has been observed, and various digital healthcare technologies were identified. For people with mild cognitive impairment, technology for predicting and diagnosing the onset of dementia was studied, and for people with dementia, intervention technology to prevent the deterioration of health and induce significant improvement was considered. Regarding caregivers, many studies were conducted on monitoring and daily living assistive technologies that reduce the burden of care. However, problems such as data collection, storage, safety, and the digital divide persisted at different intensities for each technology type.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed that appropriate technology options and considerations may differ depending on the characteristics of users. It also emphasises the role of humans in designing and managing technology to apply digital healthcare technology more effectively.

The proposal of a modeling methodology for an industrial internet information model

With the large distributed, autonomous, diverse, and dynamic information sources generated in the Industrial Internet area, the information model becomes the critical technology for heterogeneous data interoperability. By establishing unified architecture, mutually agreed communication protocols and standardizing syntax and semantics, the potential of complex data can be released. However, most of the existing information models are isolated in the professional fields, and the interoperability and scope of standards are very limited. In this article, we design a uniform information model for the Industrial Internet, and present a general modeling method which aims to build a standardized organizational framework of information. Specifically, the Industrial Internet information model is first defined, where the seven key elements and value evaluation are devised for information extraction. Then, an optimization approach combining entropy and semantic distance theories is proposed that determines the information organization granularity. Next, as the cross-layer interaction of complex information is very tricky in a tree structure and its modeling cost is extremely high in a mesh topology, the underground root structure is invented for model representation. Finally, the modeling methodology is applied to the ordinary and precision machine tools demonstrating 18.75% and 18.18% modeling cost reduction, respectively, and these two information models are further implemented in a digital machining workshop to verify the effectiveness of the proposed modeling method.

Witnessing: iteration and social change

At first thought, iteration seems banal. It is about repeating the existing; nothing is changing. But this special issue shows that, in an era obsessed with the new, it is often the repetition of the old that creates social change. Iteration fosters persuasion. It affords opportunities for critical and creative engagement with meaning, values and knowledge. It invites collaboration, though its apparent simplicity often belies a tremendous amount of individual and collective labour involved in the practices of iteration. Through its repetition of the existing, however, iteration also can be a mechanism for reproducing the status quo. Its pervasiveness and banality naturalises power, and its mimetic qualities shrink spaces for critical distance and care. The editors of this special issue have brought together a delightful and fascinating diversity of articles focussed on iteration in cultural production in the digital age. We hop across geographies to examine lockdown diaries, artists' books, socialist memes, fake news, the design of social media platforms and artificial intelligence, activism, film, social media forum moderation, news website reader comments and more. Iterating through the collection as a whole, across its many disciplines, is a commitment to theorising through empirical evidence, to explaining with critique, and to providing pathways to praxis. These characteristics of this special issue, and the many concepts and arguments it puts forward, make this collection of work exceptionally rich material for seeing iteration and how it shapes the world we live in today, as well as the world we want it to be. In this preface, I take a media sociology approach to show how iteration can be usefully understood as collaborative communication for change. I see this understanding of iteration, whose ascendancy is related to the ascendancy of computer science, as baked into the form of communication technologies-and thus as shaping the kinds of iteration that are possible when we use these technologies. This understanding also prompts us to focus on the connection between iteration and social change. To explore how this works, I analytically slow down the practice of iteration to show that it is a communication practice of transmission. That transmission practice is itself constituted of cognate communication practices-the reception, evaluation and production of knowledge-in which visibility and persuasion are key. In the latter parts of the preface, I illustrate this through the example of witnessing as iteration, as the high-stakes nature of witnessing make it a canary in the coalmine, more generally, for mediated communication in the digital age. I show how breaking the witnessing practice down into its various parts allows us to see how power enters and inflects who and what are iterated, when-and who and what are not. Thinking critically with iteration and against unequal power relations, the praxis this preface suggests is one-much in line with the rest of this special issue-of explaining how iteration might move the grassroots towards their goals.

FAMMOCN - Demonstration and evaluation of a framework for the multidisciplinary assessment of organisational maturity on business continuity

Business Continuity Management (BCM) encompasses effective planning to respond to business interruptions and relaunch business in the short term. This study follows the Design Science Research methodology and proposes a framework to systematise Business Continuity Management and streamline the Business Continuity Plan (BCP) design and implementation. The framework defines metrics providing strategical guidance and assessment of the Business Continuity Management initiatives. The framework provides a Business Continuity Management Model, an Implementation Guide, a Self-Assessment System, and a Measurement System. The model was developed based on a systematic literature review and guidelines from Business Continuity Management frameworks and standards. In the first iteration, we demonstrated and evaluated the framework through a Focus Group with experts in Business Continuity Management. In the second iteration, it was used and evaluated by professionals with responsibilities in Business Continuity Plan implementation, representing various business sectors. As a result, the framework is useful and complete, effective and enhances governance and is scalable and adaptable to organisations. This study concludes that the framework adds value to Business Continuity Management monitoring, gaps identification, and practitioner's guidance on what needs to be planned, done, checked and acted to manage continuity.

Examining the effect of information and communication technology, innovations, and renewable energy consumption on CO2 emission: evidence from BRICS countries

The increasing use of information and communication technology (ICT) in this digital era and its interlinkage with other economic and environmental factors have gotten considerable attention from researchers. ICT tools are considered very important in economic activities such as international trade, the financial sector, and foreign direct investment. ICT is also interlinked with innovation and energy consumption. However, ICT with these activities influences ecological footprint, especially in emerging economies such as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) countries. Therefore, this topic has got considerable attention from researchers and policy makers on the impact of ICT and economic growth activities on environmental quality. Consequently, this study investigates the impact of information and communication technology, renewable energy consumption and innovation on carbon dioxide emission in BRICS countries from 1990 to 2019 using cointegration, generalized least square, and panel corrected standard errors models. The findings show that two ICT indicators, mobile cellular subscription and fixed broadband subscription, negatively affect carbon emission along with economic growth and financial development. Innovation and renewable energy consumption also significantly reduce emission in presence of ICT indicators, while trade openness and fixed telephone subscriptions increase it. In the case of the ICT index model, all variables are positively associated with carbon emission except renewable energy consumption, however, the square and interaction term of all indicators significantly reduce carbon emission and evidence the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis except trade openness. ICT growth should be considered in the energy sector, innovation, and financial development to enhance environmental quality. The findings of the study have considerable policy implications for the sample countries.

Digitalization and disruptive change in rheumatology

INTRODUCTION

Recently, many sectors have seen disruptive changes due to the rapid progress in information and communication technology (ICT). The aim of this systematic literature review was to develop a first understanding of what is known about new ICTs in rheumatology and their disruptive potential.

METHODS

PubMed, LIVIVO, and EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) databases were searched for relevant literature. Use of new ICTs was identified, categorized, and disruptive potential was discussed. Articles from 2008 to 2021 in German and English were considered.

RESULTS

A total of 3539 articles were identified. After application of inclusion/exclusion criteria, 55 articles were included in the analyses. The majority of articles (48) used a non-experimental design or detailed expert opinion. The new ICTs mentioned in these articles could be allocated to four main categories: technologies that prepare for the development of new knowledge by data collection (n = 32); technologies that develop new knowledge by evaluation of data (e.g., by inventing better treatment; n = 11); technologies that improve communication of existing knowledge (n = 32); and technologies that improve the care process (n = 29). Further assessment classified the ICTs into different functional subcategories. Based on these categories it is possible to estimate the disruptive potential of new ICTs.

CONCLUSION

ICTs are becoming increasingly important in rheumatology and may impact patients' lives and professional conduct. The properties and disruptive potential of technologies identified in the articles differ widely. When looking into ICTs, doctors have focused on new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures but rarely on their disruptive potential. We recommend putting more effort into investigation of whether ICTs change the way rheumatology is performed and who is in control of it. Especially technologies that potentially replace physicians with machines, take control over the definition of quality in medicine, and/or create proprietary knowledge that is not accessible for doctors need more research.

Benefits of psychological detachment from work in a digital era: How do job stressors and personal strategies interplay with individual vulnerabilities?

This study examined how individual strategies (boundary creation around information and communication technology; ICT) and job stressors (work-related extended availability) relate to psychological detachment, and how the latter associates with employees' behaviors (presenteeism) and attitudes (family life satisfaction). This research also explored the moderating role of performance-based self-esteem in these relationships. Questionnaire surveys were collected among 321 teachers in Sample 1 and 283 workers in Sample 2. Results from Sample 1 revealed that boundary creation surrounding ICT was positively linked to psychological detachment but only among employees with low performance-based self-esteem. Results from Sample 2 indicated that work-related extended availability negatively related to psychological detachment but only among employees with high performance-based self-esteem. In addition, psychological detachment was associated with lower levels of presenteeism (Samples 1 and 2) and higher levels of family-life satisfaction (Sample 2). More generally, these results confirm performance-based self-esteem to be a maladaptive individual characteristic, adding up to a negative cycle of stressors to decrease psychological detachment, in turn leading to maladaptive functioning.

Valorization of food waste as adsorbents for toxic dye removal from contaminated waters: A review

Industrial contaminants such as dyes and intermediates are released into water bodies, making the water unfit for human use. At the same time large amounts of food wastes accumulate near the work places, residential complexes etc. polluting the air due to putrefaction. The need of the hour lies in finding innovative solutions for dye removal from wastewater streams. In this context, the article emphasizes adoption or conversion of food waste materials, an ecological nuisance, as adsorbents for the removal of dyes from wastewaters. Adsorption, being a well-established technique, the review critically examines the specific potential of food waste constituents as dye adsorbents. The efficacy of food waste-based adsorbents is examined, besides addressing the possible adsorption mechanisms and the factors affecting phenomenon such as pH, temperature, contact time, adsorbent dosage, particle size, and ionic strength. Integration of information and communication technology approaches with adsorption isotherms and kinetic models are emphasized to bring out their role in improving overall modeling performance. Additionally, the reusability of adsorbents has been highlighted for effective substrate utilization. The review makes an attempt to stress the valorization of food waste materials to remove dyes from contaminated waters thereby ensuring long-term sustainability.

iPad-based Apps to Facilitate Communication in Critically Ill Patients with Impaired Ability to Communicate: A Preclinical Analysis

Background

Inability to communicate is very distressing for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Most communication exchanges in ICU are initiated by healthcare workers (HCWs). Touch screen apps may enable patients to initiate communication and improve their interactions.

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the pertinent features of iPad-based apps designed for communication in ICU.

Methods

Apple “App Store” and Google “Play Store” were searched for keywords “communication” and “intensive care.” Related app suggestions were screened. Two independent assessors evaluated iPad-based apps that were deemed useful. The assessors resolved the discrepancies by re-evaluating the apps and reaching a consensus.

Results

Nine apps met the inclusion criteria. Of these six apps were free. There were seven apps specific to intensive care. Most apps had preloaded phrases for the patient to request to see someone (e.g., family), personal hygiene (e.g., bowel care), seek help with symptoms (e.g., pain), or a comfort item (e.g., blanket). CALD Assist, Patient Communicator, VidaTalk, and YoDoc were available in more than eight languages. VidaTalk and YoDoc allowed the user to write. Four apps were deemed not suitable for routine ICU use, while the remaining five had several attractive features.

Conclusion

Several high-quality apps are available to assist with patient-initiated communication exchange in ICU. This study provides a guide for readers to choose the app most suited to their needs. In the opinion of the authors, YoDoc is the most suitable app for routine use in ICU. Among free apps, CommuniCare appears to be the most user-friendly.

How to cite this article

Dind AJ, Starr JS, Arora S. iPad-based Apps to Facilitate Communication in Critically Ill Patients with Impaired Ability to Communicate: A Preclinical Analysis. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(11):1232–1240.

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on public managers' attitudes toward digital transformation

The COVID-19 pandemic has induced a process of digital acceleration and has likely changed the attitudes of local public managers toward information and communication technology (ICT). While this attitude change has been reasonably argued, it has not been systematically measured. This study narrows this gap by measuring the attitudes of public managers before and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, this study finds that the pandemic has led public managers to be more confident in the capacity of ICT to help cities achieve their economic, social, and environmental goals and respond to challenges. Both explicit and implicit measures confirmed attitude changes. The explicit measures also indicated that the change in public managers' attitude toward ICT was similar to their change in attitude toward scientific progress and greater than their change in attitude toward other issues that have played a major role during the pandemic, namely, climate change, citizen participation, and privacy.

Gender differences in information and communication technology use & skills: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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.

SMF/FSO integrated dual-rate reliable and energy efficient WDM optical access network for smart and urban communities

To handle the massive high-speed internet traffic, free space optics (FSO) or single-mode fiber (SMF) based fiber optic communication is being used everywhere across the world. These technologies are capable of providing huge bandwidth and transmitting the data at very high speed with low energy consumption. FSO is a very convenient technology to quickly expand the legacy network in the adverse geographical areas. However, its link performance is highly dependent of inconsistent weather conditions. SMF based fiber optic link has a very low loss and its performance is almost independent on the weather conditions. Though, the installation and maintenance of fibers are quite complex and costly. Individually, FSO or SMF links have their limitations and have to be integrated to leverage their benefits. In this paper, we integrated FSO/SMF links and compared the performance of the proposed architecture which is capable of providing high-speed dual-rate data transmission. The proposed architecture transmits data over either FSO or SMF or both links simultaneously and has 100% more reliability against any one of the link failures. In case of operational link failure (FSO/SMF), data may be switched to the alternative working link (SMF/FSO), simply by tuning the transmitted signal by 50 GHz. The proposed architecture is also reliable against the optical line terminal transceiver (TRx) failure as each user located in the network can be served by two transceivers (1 Gbps and 10 Gbps). The proposed architecture also supports the wavelength division multiplexing overlay transmission for broadcasting the common signal to all the available users in the networks. The architecture reduces ~ 27% of the energy consumption by utilizing the appropriate link of hybrid architecture and TRx according to weather conditions and traffic load. The integrated architecture looks attractive for providing energy-efficient, high speed, and reliable internet coverage to the areas where there is a difficulty of laying fibers and has frequent fiber faults. The architecture is useful for strengthening and boosting rural and urban development.

Effectiveness of real-time tele-ultrasound for echocardiography in resource-limited medical teams

BACKGROUND

Echocardiography is a first-line tool for the screening of patients with cardiac dysfunction. However, the mastery of echocardiography requires significant training, and not all medical teams involve an echocardiography specialist. Telemedicine approaches can potentially improve the quality of echocardiography in resource-limited situations.

METHODS

We used a novel tablet-based hand-held ultrasound device that enables tele-ultrasound- a real-time video telecommunication with remote control for ultrasound images. A trainee scanned patients with various cardiovascular diseases and interpreted the images. Subsequently, the same trainee re-scanned the same patients and re-interpreted the same images using tele-ultrasound with an echocardiography specialist. An examination on the same patients by a blinded specialist was considered the gold standard.

RESULTS

We included 31 patients (median 77 [interquartile range 68-84] years old, 42% women). Mean absolute errors in left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters, visual LV ejection fraction, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion decreased significantly after tele-ultrasound advice (5.9 mm, 5.8 mm, 8.6%, and 4.5 to 1.6 mm, 2.8 mm, 0.7%, and 1.8 mm, respectively, all p < 0.001), and intra-class correlation coefficients improved (0.76, 0.84, 0.68, and 0.44 to 0.96, 0.93, 0.99, and 0.90, respectively). Notably, with tele-advice, the trainee's examination showed perfect agreement with that of the specialist in classifying LV ejection fraction (> 50%, 50-35%, or > 35%) and identifying significant valvular heart diseases.

CONCLUSION

Real-time tele-ultrasound improved a trainee's echocardiography results to those of a specialist-level examination. This approach might be helpful in resource-limited medical teams where echocardiographic specialists are not readily available.

Non-use of information and communication technology as a predictor of frailty in postmenopausal midlife and older women

BACKGROUND

Frailty is a clinically discernible state in which decreased physiological reserve and function result in a reduced ability to cope with stressors. Information and communication technology (ICT) has been proposed as an aid to help with frailty, yet the use of ICT by older people, particularly women, is an understudied area.

AIM

To analyze the association between use of ICT (specifically internet functions and social media) and frailty status in postmenopausal midlife and elderly women.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was designed to investigate whether frailty status is related to ICT use in postmenopausal midlife and older women. Community-dwelling women attending primary health care centers for health checks were invited to participate in the study. Postmenopausal status was the only inclusion criterion, whereas limitations that could interfere with use of ICT were exclusion criteria. The Fried phenotype was used to assess frailty. Four types of ICT use were examined: the internet for e-mail, the internet for other functions, and social media (WhatsApp or Facebook). Chi-square test and multivariate multinomial regression analysis were used to examine the association between frailty status and ICT use.

RESULTS

We included 409 women (age = 67.45 ± 7.81 years, mean ± SD), who were frail (n = 135, 33.01%), pre-frail (n = 159, 38.87%), or robust (n  =  115, 28.11%). Frailty status was significantly and inversely associated with any ICT use, showing a strong association with use of WhatsApp (P < 0.001) and internet searches (P < 0.001). ICT non-use was a predictor of frailty, while ICT users were more likely to be robust (OR 10.62; 95% [CI], 5.34-21.10) or pre-frail (OR 9.03; [CI], 95% 5.18-15.74).

CONCLUSION

Postmenopausal midlife and older women not using ICT were more likely to be frail.

Using Technology to Support Expectant and Parenting Youth through Case Management: Lessons Learned in the Field

Introduction

The Support. Empower. Learn. Parenting Health Initiative (SELPHI) provides expectant and parenting youth ages 16–24 in Philadelphia with supports to improve educational, social, and economic outcomes to shape their health and the health of their children. Phone, text, video-based, and social media communication technology is built in to SELPHI’s program design to facilitate case management and connect clients to a broad referral network. Given the novelty of using information and communication technology (ICT) in case management, the reported lessons learned seek to give providers a specific and nuanced picture of ICT in case management.

Methods

In its initial 6-month implementation period, SELPHI’s five case managers, called Navigators, served 59 clients. Data from feedback surveys and case records were collected from clients and Navigators. Data included client demographic characteristics, needs assessment, and contact records to inform continuous quality improvement (CQI).

Results

ICT’s benefits included having multiple ways to connect to difficult-to-reach clients, the ability to be more responsive to clients, and the flexibility to address scheduling and transportation barriers. ICT’s challenges are related to Navigators’ boundary setting, limitations on rapport building, and data security considerations. CQI data are presented to illustrate the lessons learned. Text messages were the most prevalent ICT; phone calls were most successful in engaging clients. Clients’ ICT preferences differed by purpose of communication.

Discussion

Findings suggest that programs should understand the nuances of client contact preferences. To maximize the benefits of ICT, programs must develop or adapt protocols based on preference and purpose of communication.

The use of ICT devices as part of the solo eating experience

An increasing number of people tend to eat alone due to social changes and an altered attitude towards cooking and eating practices. Anecdotal reports indicate that solo diners tend to use information and communication technology devices, for example, the smartphone, as part of the eating experience. While lab studies suggest that the devices contribute to an increased high-calorie food intake and decreased feeling of satiety, these studies disregard the everyday experience and motivation of solo diners. We conducted an exploratory study to investigate how solo diners use digital devices as part of their daily eating experience. Semi-structured interviews with solo diners (N = 12) were analyzed using thematic analysis in an inductive approach leading to six themes. The themes focus on (1) the perception of a meal; (2) the experience of a solo diner; (3) the purpose of using an information and communication technology device; (4) the perceived influence of the devices; (5) factors decreasing and increasing the use; (6) and the potential to promote healthier food consumption. Our results indicate that the use of digital devices while eating alone can lead to distraction, being unaware of the food texture and the amount that is eaten. The devices can also induce a positive influence by providing entertainment and mitigating negative emotions like loneliness and boredom. The devices have the potential to contribute to healthy eating practices by providing education and by influencing the speed of eating through elements of sound. Although the use of devices might negatively affect eating behavior, their ubiquitous presence also offers the opportunity to reach specific, vulnerable populations.

A New Paradigm for Clinical Nutrition Services in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The role of clinical nutrition services is emphasized in the care of chronic diseases; the prevalence of chronic diseases continues to increase due to the living environment change, westernized dietary life and the aging population in Korea. The effectiveness of clinical nutrition services in the treatment of diseases in inpatients has been demonstrated in several studies. However, in recent days, innovative changes are pursued in clinical nutrition services through a convergence with information and communication technology (ICT), a core technology of the fourth industrial revolution such as big data, deep learning, and artificial intelligence (AI). The health care environment is changing from a medical treatment-oriented service to a preventive and personalized paradigm. Furthermore, we live in an era of personalization where we can personalize dietary aspects including food choice, cooking recipes, and nutrition in daily life. In addition, ICT technology can build a personalized nutrition platform in consideration of individual patient's diseases, genetic trait, and environment, all of which can be technical means in personalized nutrition management services. Personalized nutrition based on ICT technology is able to provide more standardized and high-quality clinical nutrition services to the patients. The purpose of this review is to examine the core technologies of the fourth industrial revolution affecting clinical nutrition services, and ultimately discuss how clinical nutrition professional should respond to ICT technology-related fields in the era of the new technological innovations.

The Use of Online Health-Management Tools and Health Care Utilization Among Older Americans

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The digital divide, or differences in access to technology, can have far-reaching consequences. This study identified disparities in access to online health-related technology. It then investigated associations between online health-related technology use and health care utilization among older adults in the United States.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The study used a cross-sectional data set of 1,497 adults aged 51 and older from the 2014 Health and Retirement Study (HRS)'s supplemental module (Health Behaviors) and the RAND version of the HRS fat file.

RESULTS

Older age, being a racial/ethnic minority, married, uninsured, and having lower educational attainment, lower income, and reporting poorer health were each associated with lower levels of use of online health-management tools. The use of online health-management tools was associated with a 34% greater mean number of doctor visits (incidence rate ratio = 1.34, SE = 0.10, p < .05) than nonuse. However, such use was not associated with the number or type of hospitalizations. Indeed, only health care needs as measured by self-rated health status (odds ratio [OR] = 0.58, SE = 0.18, p < .05) and the number of chronic conditions were associated with hospitalizations (OR = 1.68, SE = 0.07, p < .05).

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

While more research is needed to clarify the purposes (e.g., prevention vs. treatment) and outcomes of health care service utilization as a function of technology use, it may be wise to proactively tackle the digital divide as one upstream strategy for improving various health and health care outcomes among older adults.

Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery positioning on the use of telemedine in sleep-disordered breathing and mechanical ventilation

The rapid introduction of new information and communication technologies into medical practice has prompted Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic SurgeryR to publish a position paper on sleep-disordered breathing, especially in relation to positive pressure treatment. It should be pointed out that the scientific literature is to some extent controversial due to a paucity of large randomized multicenter studies with long-term follow-up. Moreover, the telematics devices and systems on the market vary widely. As a result, the recommendations are based primarily on a consensus of expert professionals. Another very important aspect addressed extensively in this document is the obvious lack of regulations on legal matters and the operations of commercial companies. The most important recommendations included in this position paper are that telemedicine is primarily advocated in subjects with travel problems or who live far from the hospital, in patients with poor CPAP compliance, and in most cases treated with non-invasive mechanical ventilation. A key element is patient individualization. It is imperative that the relevant technical, legal and ethical requirements (medical device regulations, data protection, and informed consent) are met. Finally, expert professionals from our society must contribute to and become involved in spearheading this technological change.

Time to Disentangle the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Constructs: Developing a Taxonomy around ICT Use for Occupational Health Research

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in the workplace has gained considerable research attention in the occupational health field due to its effects on employee stress and well-being. Consequently, new ICT-related constructs have proliferated in occupational health research, resulting in a need to take stock of both potential redundancies and deficiencies in the current measures. This paper disentangles ICT-related constructs, developing a taxonomy of ICT-related constructs in terms of ICT demands, resources, motivation, use, and strains. We then integrate this taxonomy with stress and motivation theories to identify three key implications for ICT and workplace health research and practices in terms of providing suggestions on understudied areas for building better theories, highlighting important psychometric issues for building better constructs and measures, and offering recommendations for building better interventions. This review aims to serve as a guide for researchers to move forward with the current state of research and provide recommendations for organizations in terms of both potential repercussions and best practices for ICT use in the workplace.

Examining the determinants of eHealth usage among elderly people with disability: The moderating role of behavioural aspects

BACKGROUND

Existing studies have demonstrated that behavioural barriers impede eHealth usage among senior citizens. However, thus far, no analysis of how such barriers affect elderly people with disabilities (PwD) has been conducted. Thus, the study investigates the predictors of eHealth usage among elderly PwD.

METHODS

Using data from a 2018 nationwide disability survey comprising 14,798 respondents in Australia, multivariate logistic regression models are used to predict the relationship between eHealth usage and the various characteristics of respondents, including access to information and communication technologies (ICTs), socioeconomic status, and level of education.

RESULTS

Although most participants (approximately 88%) have access to ICTs, few (only around 9%) have used eHealth services. The results show a number of factors are associated with an increased likelihood of using eHealth services, including higher educational attainment (odds ratio [OR] = 3.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.38, 4.24), employment (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.94), higher household income (OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.96), and ICT access (OR = 15.92, 95% CI: 10.51, 27.01). The probability of eHealth use is lower for the oldest-old (OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.45). In addition, the estimates from interaction effects suggest the effect of ICT penetration on use of eHealth falls by a negligible amount because of resistive attitudinal barriers (OR = 0.01, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.06).

CONCLUSION

Given the challenges of ageing populations and pandemics, such as COVID-19, eHealth services are a vital part of an effective, inclusive, and robust health care system. This study demonstrates the presence of a significant digital divide among elderly PwD and suggests that public and private efforts should be made to increase the availability of ICT infrastructure. Training could also increase inclusion in this regard.

The practice of active patient involvement in rare disease research using ICT: experiences and lessons from the RUDY JAPAN project

BACKGROUND

The role of patients in medical research is changing, as more emphasis is being placed on patient involvement, and patient reported outcomes are increasingly contributing to clinical decision-making. Information and communication technology provides new opportunities for patients to actively become involved in research. These trends are particularly noticeable in Europe and the US, but less obvious in Japan. The aim of this study was to investigate the practice of active involvement of patients in medical research in Japan by utilizing a digital platform, and to analyze the outcomes to clarify what specific approaches could be put into practice.

METHODS

We developed the RUDY JAPAN system, an ongoing rare disease medical research platform, in collaboration with the Rare and Undiagnosed Diseases Study (RUDY) project in the UK. After 2 years of preparation, RUDY JAPAN was launched in December 2017. Skeletal muscle channelopathies were initially selected as target diseases, and hereditary angioedema was subsequently added. Several approaches for active patient involvement were designed through patient-researcher collaboration, namely the Steering Committee, questionnaire development, dynamic consent, and other communication strategies. We analyzed our practices and experiences focusing on how each approach affected and contributed to the research project.

RESULTS

RUDY JAPAN has successfully involved patients in this research project in various ways. While not a part of the initial decision-making phase to launch the project, patients have increasingly been involved since then. A high level of patient involvement was achieved through the Steering Committee, a governance body that has made a major contribution to RUDY JAPAN, and the process of the questionnaire development. The creation of the Patient Network Forum, website and newsletter cultivated dialogue between patients and researchers. The registry itself allowed patient participation through data input and control of data usage through dynamic consent.

CONCLUSIONS

We believe the initial outcomes demonstrate the feasibility and utility of active patient involvement in Japan. The collaboration realized through RUDY JAPAN was enabled by digital technologies. It allowed busy patients and researchers to find the space to meet and work together for the Steering Committee, questionnaire development and various communication activities. While the practice of active patient involvement in Japan is still in its early stages, this research confirms its viability if the right conditions are in place. (331 words).

Responding to COVID-19: New Trends in Social Workers' Use of Information and Communication Technology

COVID-19 changed the context for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use globally. With face-to-face practice restricted, almost all communication with clients shifted to ICTs. Starting in April 2019, we conducted semi-structured interviews with social workers from four agencies serving diverse populations in a large urban centre, with the aim of exploring social workers' informal ICT use with clients. Approximately 6 weeks after the cessation of face-to-face practice in March 2020 due to COVID-19 measures, we re-interviewed social workers (n = 11) who had participated in our study. Second interviews were based on a newly developed interview guide that explored social workers' use of ICTs with clients in the context of COVID-19. Analysis of transcribed interviews revealed that the context of COVID-19 had generated two main themes. One, a paradigm shift for social workers was characterized by (a) diverse ICT options, (b) client-driven approach, and (c) necessary creativity. The second theme entails the impact of this transition which involved (a) greater awareness of clients' degree of access, (b) confidentiality and privacy, and (c) professional boundaries. We discuss these themes and sub-themes and present implications for practice and research in a Post-COVID-19 world.

Routine health information system in the health facilities in Yaoundé-Cameroon: assessing the gaps for strengthening

BACKGROUND

Management of health data and its use for informed-decision making is a challenging health sector aspect in developing countries. Monitoring and evaluation of health interventions for meeting health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and Cameroon Health Sector Strategy (HSS) targets is facilitated through evidence-based decision-making and public health action. Thus, a routine health information system (RHIS) producing quality data is imperative. The objective of this study was to assess the RHIS in the health facilities (HFs) in Yaoundé in order to identify gaps and weaknesses and to propose measures for strengthening.

METHODS

A health facility-based cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in the six health districts (HDs) of Yaoundé; followed by a qualitative aspect consisting of in-depth interviews of key informants at the Regional Health Office. HFs were selected using a stratified sampling method with probability proportional to the size of each HD. Data were collected (one respondent per HF) using the World Health Organization and MEASURE Evaluation RHIS rapid assessment tool. Data were entered into Microsoft Excel 2013 and analyzed with IBM-SPSS version 20.

RESULTS

A total of 111 HFs were selected for the study. Respondents aged 24-60 years with an average of 38.3 ± 9.3 years; 58 (52.3%) male and 53(47.7%) female. Heads of HFs and persons in charge of statistics/data management were most represented with 45.0% and 21.6% respectively. All the twelve subdomains of the RHIS were adequately functioning at between 7 and 30%. These included Human Resources (7%), Data Analysis (10%), Information and Communication Technology (11%), Standards and System Design (15%), Policies and Planning (15%), Information Dissemination (16%), Data Demand and Use (16%), Management (18%), Data Needs (18%), Data Quality Assurance (20%), Collection and Management of Individual Client Data (26%), Collection, Management, and Reporting of Aggregated Facility Data (30%).

CONCLUSIONS

The level of functioning of subdomains of the RHIS in Yaoundé was low; thus, immediate and district-specific strengthening actions should be implemented if health-related SDGs and HSS targets are to be met. A nation-wide assessment should be carried out in order to understand the determinants of these poor performances and to strengthen the RHIS.

Does ICT maturity catalyse economic development? Evidence from a panel data estimation approach in OECD countries

To date, definitions of information and communication technology (ICT) development used in quantitative studies on the relationship between economic development and ICT are incomplete and often based on single indicators. Thus, this study investigates the link between ICT maturity and economic development in the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. A novel composite index of ICT maturity that includes previously neglected dimensions of ICT maturity, such as affordability and quality of internet connectivity, is utilised. The baseline estimations using the feasible generalised least squares indicate that ICT maturity is associated with an increase in economic development by 1%-3.8% in OECD countries. These findings have been cross-validated by applying the generalised method of moments estimation. Results imply that the holistic development of ICT, including infrastructure, skills, and affordability, can augment economic development.

Telemedicine and Community Health Projects in Asia

Telemedicine has the potential to deliver high-quality, affordable health care to underserved populations that otherwise would not have adequate access to care. The authors provide a snapshot of several telemedicine initiatives that have used information and communication technologies to connect patients with health care providers across various Asian countries with differing socioeconomic statuses. They highlight several factors thought to contribute to the success of telemedicine programs, such as financial sustainability, ease of use, and utilization of existing resources. Challenges these programs have faced include lack of technological infrastructure, limitations in funding, and conflicting health system priorities.

Older adults' perceptions of contexts surrounding their social participation in a digitalized society-an exploration in rural communities in Northern Sweden

Social participation and digital engagement can contribute to health and well-being among older adults. Because of older adults' decline in abilities, coupled with complex technology and its perceived insufficient relevance to daily life, there is a need to create and tailor social opportunities and services that are supported by digital technologies for older adults to continue participating in society. Thus, it becomes relevant to explore older adults' perceptions about contexts surrounding their social participation in a digital society. This exploration used a qualitative research design with focus group interviews and qualitative content analysis. Eighteen older adults, aged 66-81 years, from rural communities in Northern Sweden, participated in this study. The analysis resulted in three categories: experiencing conditions for social participation in a state of flux, perceiving drawbacks of urbanization on social participation, and welcoming digital technology that facilitates daily and community living. These categories were encapsulated in the theme-the juxtaposition of narrowing offline social networks and expanding digital opportunities for social participation. The findings suggested that co-creating usable digitalized services and facilitating satisfactory use of digital technologies could support older adults' social participation through activities that they find relevant in their lives, and subsequently, might enable them to live longer at home.