scholarly journals Harnessing the digital potential of the next generation of health professionals

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian L. H. Wong ◽  
Mark P. Khurana ◽  
Robert D. Smith ◽  
Omnia El-Omrani ◽  
Ave Pold ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Capacity Building ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Healthcare Outcomes ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Digital Ethics ◽  
Use Of Data ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Practical Experiences

AbstractDigital technologies are rapidly being integrated into a wide range of health fields. This new domain, often termed ‘digital health’, has the potential to significantly improve healthcare outcomes and global health equity more broadly. However, its effective implementation and responsible use are contingent on building a health workforce with a sufficient level of knowledge and skills to effectively navigate the digital transformations in health. More specifically, the next generation of health professionals—namely youth—must be adequately prepared to maximise the potential of these digital transformations. In this commentary, we highlight three priority areas which should be prioritised in digital education to realise the benefits of digital health: capacity building, opportunities for youth, and an ethics-driven approach. Firstly, capacity building requires educational frameworks and curricula to not only be updated, but to also place an emphasis on interdisciplinary learning. Secondly, opportunities are important for youth to meaningfully participate in decision-making processes and gain invaluable practical experiences. Thirdly, training in digital ethics and the responsible use of data as a standard component of education will help to safeguard against potential future inequities resulting from the implementation and use of digital health technologies.

scholarly journals Preparing the public health workforce for digital health futures: the case for digital Health training & capacity building

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (Supplement_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
B Wong ◽  
S Buttigieg ◽  
D Vital Brito
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Public Health Education ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Public Health Workforce ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Digital technologies are rapidly being integrated into a wide range of health fields, public health in particular. While ‘digital health' has the potential to significantly improve population health and well-being outcomes, its effective implementation and responsible use are contingent on building a public health workforce with a sufficient level of knowledge and skills to effectively navigate the digital transformations in health. In particular, the next generation of public health professionals-namely youth-must be adequately prepared to maximise the potential of these digital transformations. This presentation will highlight three key priority areas which should be prioritised in digital health education in public health to fully harness the potential benefits of digital health: capacity building, opportunities for youth, and an ethics-driven approach. It will also present applications of digital health (technologies) and best practices for public health education.

scholarly journals Social Representations of Digital Health Technology in different contexts: Why People Keep or Quit Using It?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Géraldine Escriva-Boulley ◽  
Camille Bernetière ◽  
Marie Préau ◽  
Françoise Paquienseguy ◽  
Tanguy Leroy
Keyword(s):  
Intervention Studies ◽  
Social Representations ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Information Transparency ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Wide Range

Objectives: The use of digital health technologies (DHT) is increasingly ubiquitous in intervention studies aimed at reducing health risks or improving the management of chronic diseases such as cancer. However, although DHT clearly show promises for a variety of applications, one third of users quit using DHT less than six months after the purchase, which may limit their effectiveness. This study aims to identify social representations (SR) of DHT, and to highlight why individuals adopt or are reluctant to adopt DHT, as well as the reasons for their drop-out.Methods: Five focus groups were lead with 18 participants (Mage = 43.72 years, Women = 13) whose personal uses of DHT were heterogeneous and controlled. They completed three tasks designed to elicit a wide range of SR of DHT.Results: Results showed that individuals’ concerns about DHT were focused on four themes: 1) health versus well-being purposes, 2) price, 3) data protection and, 4) difficulties for the elderly. The main reason for adopting DHT was that their use met a need, an interest. Most participants made a fairly strong distinction between the DHT which promote health and those promoting wellbeing. Reasons for reluctance and drop-out were related to a lack of knowledge, information, transparency and mastery.Conclusions: These findings may help DHT designers to understand what kind of information are needed and relevant to users. This study also highlights users’ SR of DHT, as well as their expectations and fears which should be taken into account when implementing interventions.

scholarly journals A Literature Review on the GDPR, COVID-19 and the Ethical Considerations of Data Protection During a Time of Crisis

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (01) ◽  
pp. 226-232
Author(s):  
Maria Christofidou ◽  
Nathan Lea ◽  
Pascal Coorevits
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Data Protection ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
General Data Protection Regulation ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Use Of Data ◽  
Mobile Health Applications ◽  
General Data ◽  
Personal Interests

Summary Objective: This survey article presents a literature review of relevant publications aiming to explore whether the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has held true during a time of crisis and the implications that arose during the COVID-19 outbreak. Method and Results: Based on the approach taken and the screening of the relevant articles, the results focus on three themes: a critique on GDPR; the ethics surrounding the use of digital health technologies, namely in the form of mobile applications; and the possibility of cross border transfers of said data outside of Europe. Within this context, the article reviews the arising themes, considers the use of data through mobile health applications, and discusses whether data protection may require a revision when balancing societal and personal interests. Conclusions: In summary, although it is clear that the GDPR has been applied through a mixed and complex experience with data handling during the pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic has indeed shown that it was a test the GDPR was designed and prepared to undertake. The article suggests that further review and research is needed to first ensure that an understanding of the state of the art in data protection during the pandemic is maintained and second to subsequently explore and carefully create a specific framework for the ethical considerations involved. The paper echoes the literature reviewed and calls for the creation of a unified and harmonised network or database to enable the secure data sharing across borders.

scholarly journals The e-health literacy framework: A conceptual framework for characterizing e-health users and their interaction with e-health systems

2015 ◽  
pp. 522-540 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Concept Mapping ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Digital Services ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Structured Analysis ◽  
Literacy Framework ◽  
Health Research And Development

In current e-health research and development there is a need for a broader understanding of the capabilities and resources required for individuals to use and benefit from e-health services, i.e. their e-health literacy. The aim of this study was to develop a new conceptualisation of e-health literacy with consideration of the experiences of a wide range of stakeholders and in alignment with current technologies. Concept mapping was used to generate a comprehensive and grounded model of e-health literacy. Concept mapping workshop participants included patients, health professionals and medical informatics experts. Eight workshops, carried out in Denmark and United Kingdom, generated 450 statements, separated into 128 clusters. Through an inductive structured analysis, seven domains were identified: 1. Ability to process information, 2. Engagement in own health, 3. Ability to engage actively with digital services, 4. Feeling safe and in control, 5. Motivation to engage with digital services, 6. Having access to systems that work, and 7. Digital services that suit individual needs. These empirically derived domains form an e-health literacy framework (eHLF) and provide new insights into the user’s ability to understand, access and use e-health technologies. The eHLF offers a framework for evaluating an individual’s or a population’s capacity to understand, use and benefit from technology to promote and maintain their health. Such a framework also provides a potential checklist for the development and improvement of e-health services.

Healthcare apps on smartphones available in Brazil: a preliminary classification (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
André De Faria Pereira Neto ◽  
Leticia Barbosa ◽  
Rodolfo Paolucci
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Disease Prevention ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Disease Process ◽  
World Health ◽  
Computing Device ◽  
Care Treatment ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Applications

UNSTRUCTURED Billions of people in the world own a smartphone. It is a low-cost, portable computing device with countless features, among which applications stand out, which are programs or software developed to meet a specific goal. A wide range of applications available ranging from entertainment and personal organization to work and education is available currently. It is a vast and profitable market. Health applications have been a means of intervention for different areas, including chronic diseases, epidemics, and health emergencies. A recently published paper in the journal with the highest impact factor in Digital Health (“Journal of Medical Internet Research”) proposes a classification of health applications. This study performs a critical analysis of this organization and presents other sort criteria. This paper also presents and analyzes the “Meu Info Saúde” (“My Health Info”) app – a pioneering government initiative focused on primary care launched by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. The application classification proposal that will be presented builds on the intervention strategies in the health-disease process, namely: “Health Promotion”, “Disease Prevention” and “Care, Treatment and Rehabilitation”, as defined by official documents such as the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most applications present in the sample are of private and foreign origin, free to download, but with a display of ads or the sale of products and services. The sampled applications were classified as “Health Promotion”, and some applications have also been categorized as “Disease Prevention” or “Care, Treatment or Rehabilitation” because they have multiple functionalities. The applications identified as “Health Promotion” focused only on individuals’ lifestyle and their increased autonomy and self-care management capacity. From this perspective, the apps analyzed in this paper differ from the “Meu Info-Saúde” application developed at Fiocruz.

scholarly journals An exploration of migrant women’s perceptions of public health messages to reduce stillbirth in the UK: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasina Stacey ◽  
Melanie Haith-Cooper ◽  
Nisa Almas ◽  
Charlotte Kenyon
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Perinatal Mortality ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Messages ◽  
Migrant Women ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Public Health Messages ◽  
Associated Risk Factors ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Background Stillbirth is a global public health priority. Within the United Kingdom, perinatal mortality disproportionately impacts Black, Asian and minority ethnic women, and in particular migrant women. Although the explanation for this remains unclear, it is thought to be multidimensional. Improving perinatal mortality is reliant upon raising awareness of stillbirth and its associated risk factors, as well as improving maternity services. The aim of this study was to explore migrant women’s awareness of health messages to reduce stillbirth risk, and how key public health messages can be made more accessible. Method Two semi-structured focus groups and 13 one to one interviews were completed with a purposive sample of 30 migrant women from 18 countries and across 4 NHS Trusts. Results Participants provided an account of their general awareness of stillbirth and recollection of the advice they had been given to reduce the risk of stillbirth both before and during pregnancy. They also suggested approaches to how key messages might be more effectively communicated to migrant women. Conclusions Our study highlights the complexity of discussing stillbirth during pregnancy. The women in this study were found to receive a wide range of advice from family and friends as well as health professionals about how to keep their baby safe in pregnancy, they recommended the development of a range of resources to provide clear and consistent messages. Health professionals, in particular midwives who have developed a trusting relationship with the women will be key to ensuring that public health messages relating to stillbirth reduction are accessible to culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

scholarly journals Effects of self-management education programmes on self-efficacy for osteoarthritis of the knee: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisuke Uritani ◽  
Hitoshi Koda ◽  
Sho Sugita
Keyword(s):  
Health Professionals ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Randomised Controlled Trials ◽  
Management Education ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Knee Oa ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Randomised Controlled

Abstract Background Enhancing self-efficacy to manage symptoms and functions is an important aspect of self-management for patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Many reports have investigated the effects of self-management education programmes for arthritis patients. However, a study that exclusively focuses on patients with OA in the same joints is required to clarify the effects of self-management programmes because individuals with knee OA experience physical and psychological difficulties different from those experienced by individuals with other arthritis diseases. Furthermore, previous studies have reported a wide range of delivery styles of self-management education programmes. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effects of group-based and face-to-face self-management education programmes conducted by health professionals targeting self-efficacy for knee OA exclusively. Methods The MEDLINE, CENTRAL, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and PEDro databases were searched to identify quantitative measures used in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the effects of self-management education programmes targeting self-efficacy in patients with knee OA. We included studies in which medical professional-delivered self-management education programmes were conducted in a group-based and face-to-face manner in community or outpatient settings. Results Seven RCTs from five countries were included in this review. Our retrieved studies included various types of self-management education programmes such as cognitive behavioural counselling, pain management education, physical education, weight management education, and arthritis self-efficacy management education, and control arms. They assessed various aspects of self-efficacy, including pain, physical function, arthritis symptoms excluding pain, weight management, mobility, and self-regulation. The total score of the Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale was also measured. Some studies have reported beneficial effects of group-based and face-to-face self-management education programmes on self-efficacy for management of pain and other symptoms and for self-regulatory, knee OA. However, the results of the included studies were varied and inconsistent. Conclusions The current review only included seven studies, and there was a wide range of clinical heterogeneity among these studies. Thus, the effects of group-based and face-to-face self-management education programmes conducted by health professionals on self-efficacy for knee OA exclusively are inconclusive to date. Therefore, high-quality studies are required to provide significant information on clinicians, patients, and healthcare professionals in the future.

scholarly journals The role of economic, educational and social resources in supporting the use of digital health technologies by people with T2D: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Turnbull ◽  
Patricia J. Lucas ◽  
Alastair D. Hay ◽  
Christie Cabral
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Social Resources ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Digital Skills ◽  
Care Support

Abstract Background Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is a common chronic disease, with socially patterned incidence and severity. Digital self-care interventions have the potential to reduce health disparities, by providing personalised low-cost reusable resources that can increase access to health interventions. However, if under-served groups are unable to access or use digital technologies, Digital Health Technologies (DHTs) might make no difference, or worse, exacerbate health inequity. Study aims To gain insights into how and why people with T2D access and use DHTs and how experiences vary between individuals and social groups. Methods A purposive sample of people with experience of using a DHT to help them self-care for T2D were recruited through diabetes and community groups. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in person and over the phone. Data were analysed thematically. Results A diverse sample of 21 participants were interviewed. Health care practitioners were not viewed as a good source of information about DHTs that could support T2D. Instead participants relied on their digital skills and social networks to learn about what DHTs are available and helpful. The main barriers to accessing and using DHT described by the participants were availability of DHTs from the NHS, cost and technical proficiency. However, some participants described how they were able to draw on social resources such as their social networks and social status to overcome these barriers. Participants were motivated to use DHTs because they provided self-care support, a feeling of control over T2D, and personalised advice or feedback. The selection of technology was also guided by participants’ preferences and what they valued in relation to DHTs and self-care support, and these in turn were influenced by age and gender. Conclusion This research indicates that low levels of digital skills and high cost of digital health interventions can create barriers to the access and use of DHTs to support the self-care of T2D. However, social networks and social status can be leveraged to overcome some of these challenges. If digital interventions are to decrease rather than exacerbate health inequalities, these barriers and facilitators to access and use must be considered when DHTs are developed and implemented.

scholarly journals REAPing the benefits: development and use of a structured evaluation framework to codify learning resources for Global Health professionals

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meike Schleiff ◽  
Elizabeth Hahn ◽  
Caroline Dolive ◽  
Lillian James ◽  
Anant Mishra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Course Quality ◽  
Health Leadership ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Meaningful Engagement ◽  
Online Activities ◽  
Competency Domains

Abstract Background The learning opportunities for global health professionals have expanded rapidly in recent years. The diverse array of learners and wide range in course quality underscore the need for an improved course vetting process to better match learners with appropriate learning opportunities. Methods We developed a framework to assess overall course quality by determining performance across four defined domains Relevance, Engagement, Access, and Pedagogy (REAP). We applied this framework across a learning catalogue developed for participants enrolled in the Sustaining Technical and Analytic Resources (STAR) project, a global health leadership training program. Results The STAR learning activities database included a total of 382 courses, workshops, and web-based resources which fulfilled 531 competencies across three levels: core, content, and skill. Relevance: The majority of activities were at an understanding or practicing level across all competency domains (486/531, 91.5%). Engagement: Many activities lacked any peer engagement (202/531, 38.0%) and had limited to no faculty engagement (260/531, 49.0%). Access: The plurality of courses across competencies were offered on demand (227/531, 42.7%) and were highly flexible in pace (240/531, 45.2%). Pedagogy: Of the activities that included an assessment, most matched activity learning objectives (217/531, 40.9%). Conclusions Through applying REAP to the STAR project learning catalogue, we found many online activities lacked meaningful engagement with faculty and peers. Further development of structured online activities providing learners with flexibility in access, a range of levels of advancement for content, and opportunities to engage and apply learning are needed for the field of global health.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document