scholarly journals High Throughput Metagenomic Analysis Exposes Mobile Phones as Potentially Hazardous Microbial Platforms Warranting Robust Public Health and Biosecurity Protocols

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Olsen ◽  
Rania Nassar ◽  
Abiola Senok ◽  
Susan Moloney ◽  
Anna Lohning ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Medical Staff ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Mobile Phone Use ◽  
Mobile Phone Usage ◽  
Technology And Communication

Abstract Introduction. Advancements in technology and communication have revolutionised the 21st century with the introduction of mobile phones and smartphones. These phones are known to be platforms harbouring microbes with recent research shedding light on the abundance and broad spectrum of organisms they harbour. Mobile phone use in the community and in professional sectors including health care settings is a potential source of microbial dissemination.Aim. To identify the diversity of microbial genetic signature present on mobile phones owned by hospital medical staff.Methods. Twenty-six mobile phones of health care staff were swabbed. DNA extraction for downstream next generation sequencing shotgun metagenomic microbial profiling was performed. Survey questionnaires were handed to the staff to collect information on mobile phone usage and users’ behaviours.Results. A total of 11259 organisms derived from 26 phones were found with 2096 genes coding for antibiotic resistance and virulent factors. These organisms corresponded to 5717 bacteria, 675 fungi, 93 protists, 320 viruses, 4456 bacteriophages. The survey of medical staff showed that 46% (12/26) of the participants used their mobile phones in the bathroom.Discussion/conclusion. Mobile phones are vectors of microbes and can contribute to microbial dissemination and nosocomial diseases worldwide. As fomites, mobile phones that are not decontaminated may pose serious risks for public health and biosecurity.

scholarly journals Can the Health-Care System Meet the Challenge of Pandemic Flu? Planning, Ethical, and Workforce Considerations

2007 ◽  
Vol 122 (5) ◽  
pp. 573-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Levin ◽  
Eric N. Gebbie ◽  
Kristine Qureshi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Care Delivery Systems ◽  
The Impact

The federal pandemic influenza plan predicts that 30% of the population could be infected. The impact of this pandemic would quickly overwhelm the public health and health-care delivery systems in the U.S. and throughout the world. Surge capacity for staffing, availability of drugs and supplies, and alternate means to provide care must be included in detailed plans that are tested and drilled ahead of time. Accurate information on the disease must be made available to health-care staff and the public to reduce fear. Spokespersons must provide clear, consistent messages about the disease, including actions to be taken to contain its spread and treat the afflicted. Home care will be especially important, as hospitals will be quickly overwhelmed. Staff must be prepared ahead of time to assure their ability and willingness to report to work, and public health must plan ahead to adequately confront ethical issues that will arise concerning the availability of treatment resources. The entire community must work together to meet the challenges posed by an epidemic. Identification and resolution of these challenges and issues are essential to achieve adequate public health preparedness.

scholarly journals Case-Initiated COVID-19 Contact Tracing Using Anonymous Notifications (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weibin Cheng ◽  
Chun Hao
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Advanced Technology ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Disease Information ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Respiratory Hygiene

UNSTRUCTURED We discuss the concept of a participatory digital contact notification approach to assist tracing of contacts who are exposed to confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19); the approach is simple and affordable for countries with limited access to health care resources and advanced technology. The proposed tool serves as a supplemental contract tracing approach to counteract the shortage of health care staff while providing privacy protection for both cases and contacts. This tool can be deployed on the internet or as a plugin for a smartphone app. Confirmed cases with COVID-19 can use this tool to provide contact information (either email addresses or mobile phone numbers) of close contacts. The system will then automatically send a message to the contacts informing them of their contact status, what this status means, the actions that should follow (eg, self-quarantine, respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette), and advice for receiving early care if they develop symptoms. The name of the sender of the notification message by email or mobile phone can be anonymous or not. The message received by the contact contains no disease information but contains a security code for the contact to log on the platform to retrieve the information.

scholarly journals Use of Mobile Phone and In-Vehicle Interaction: A Case study among selected students in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-132
Author(s):  
Olabisi Olapoju
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
University Students ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Negative Correlation ◽  
Mobile Phone Use ◽  
Mobile Phone Usage

Mobile phone use among university students is now pervasively altering their social interaction with others. The study investigated the influence of mobile phone use among commuting University Students on their interaction with co-travellers and the environment through which they travel. Three hundred students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria were purposively sampled to respond to a 10-minute questionnaire. The questionnaire contained questions such as ownership of mobile phones, type and number of phones owned, frequency of usage and the influence of mobile phone usage during transit on interaction between the students and their co-travelers and with the environment they traveled through. Results showed that all the respondents possessed at least one mobile phone. In addition, results revealed a negative correlation between time of use of mobile phone and interaction with co-travelers (α=0.05, r= -0.039) and no significant correlation between length of use of mobile phone and interaction with the environment (α=0.05, r=0.079). The study established that mobile phone intrusiveness has an influence on students' interaction during commuting.

scholarly journals Women Using Mobile Phones for Health Communication Are More Likely to Use Prenatal and Postnatal Services in Bangladesh: Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shangfeng Tang ◽  
Bishwajit Ghose ◽  
Md Rakibul Hoque ◽  
Gang Hao ◽  
Sanni Yaya
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Maternal Health Care ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mobile Phone Use ◽  
Delivery Services

BACKGROUND The public health system in Bangladesh has been struggling to provide coverage and utilization of basic maternal health care services in pursuit of achieving maternal and child mortality-related goals. Interestingly, the rapid popularization of mobile technology in the country is transforming the landscape of health care access and delivery. However, little is known regarding the use of mobile phones from the perspective of maternal health care service utilization. OBJECTIVE In this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence and sociodemographic pattern of mobile phone use for health services among women and relationship between the use of mobile phone use and the uptake of essential maternal health services (MHSs). METHODS Cross-sectional data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey on 4494 mothers aged between 15 and 39 years were used in the analysis. Using mobile phones to get health services or advice was hypothesized to have a positive association with the uptake of basic MHSs (antenatal care, ANC, facility delivery services, postnatal care) and postnatal care for the newborn. Data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariable techniques. RESULTS More than a quarter (1276/4494, 28.4%; 95% CI 26.8-30.3) of the women aged 15-39 years reported using mobile phones to get health services with significant sociodemographic variations in the use of mobile phones. Analysis of the specific purposes revealed that, in most cases, mobile phones were used to contact service providers and consult with the same about what to do, whereas a smaller proportion reported using mobile phone for the purposes of arranging money and transportation. Multivariable analysis showed that compared with respondents who reported not using mobile phones for health care services, those who used them had higher odds of making 3+ ANC visits and delivering at a health facility. The odds were slightly higher for rural residents than for those in the urban areas. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study conclude that women who use mobile phones are more likely to use ANC and professional delivery services than those who do not. More in-depth studies are necessary to understand the mechanism through which mobile phone-based services enhance the uptake of maternal health care.

scholarly journals The Cedar Project - Mobile Phone Use and Acceptability of Mobile Health Among Young Indigenous People Who Have Used Drugs in British Columbia, Canada: Mixed Methods Exploratory Study

10.2196/16783 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. e16783
Author(s):  
Kate Jongbloed ◽  
Margo E Pearce ◽  
Vicky Thomas ◽  
Richa Sharma ◽  
Sherri Pooyak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
British Columbia ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Indigenous People ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Mobile Phone Use ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Prevention And Treatment

Background Indigenous leaders continue to be concerned about high rates of HIV and barriers to HIV treatment among young Indigenous people involved in substance use. Growing evidence suggests that using mobile phones for health (mHealth) may be a powerful way to support connection with health services, including HIV prevention and treatment. Objective This study examined the patterns of mobile phone ownership and use among young Indigenous people who have used drugs living with or vulnerable to HIV and explored the acceptability of mHealth to support access to health care in this population. Methods The Cedar Project is a cohort study involving young Indigenous people who have used drugs in Vancouver and Prince George, British Columbia. This mixed methods exploratory study involved 131 Cedar Project participants enrolled in our WelTel mHealth program. At enrollment, participants completed a questionnaire related to mobile phone use and interest in mHealth. Data were linked to Cedar Project questionnaires and serodata. We present comparative statistics (quantitative) and results of a rapid thematic analysis (qualitative) related to mobile phone patterns and interest in receiving mHealth. Results Less than half of the participants (59/130; 45.4%) reported owning a phone. Among those with a phone, the majority owned a smartphone (46/59; 78%). Most participants with a phone reported having an unlimited texting plan (39/55; 71%), using the internet on their phone (44/59; 75%), and texting daily (44/55; 80%). A majority reported that using a mobile phone for health would be invaluable (120/130; 92.3%). There were no differences in mHealth acceptance between participants who owned a phone and those who did not (P>.99). All but one participant living with HIV felt using a mobile phone would be helpful for their health, while a small proportion of HIV-negative participants remained unsure (1.9% vs 11.7%; P=.047). In response to open-ended questions asking why using a mobile phone may be helpful for health, participants identified a diverse set of anticipated benefits: (1) connection for emotional, mental, and spiritual support, (2) connection to family, (3) staying in touch and/or being reachable, (4) overcoming current barriers to phone use, (5) convenience, privacy, and safety, and (6) access to health care and emergency services. Conclusions We observed high acceptance and interest in using mobile phone technology for health despite low rates of personal mobile phone connectivity among young Indigenous people who have used drugs living with and vulnerable to HIV in British Columbia, Canada. Mobile phones were viewed as a way to support connections and relationships that are seen as critical to health and well-being among young Indigenous people in this study. Findings may be useful for health care providers preparing to scale up mHealth programs to support HIV prevention and treatment in this population.

Mobile Phone Dependency and Effect on the Academic Lifestyle of Female Students at a University: A Case Study of a University of Technology

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Josephat Muntangadura ◽  
Barbra Mazarire
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mobile Phone Use ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Mobile Phone Usage

Mobile phones are now being used by all members of society, men, women and the children. When members of society use them it affects their lives, thus the research is interested in exploring how mobile phone usage affects the lifestyles of female university students. The study explored the dependency and effect of mobile phone usage among female students at a university of technology. A cross-sectional survey was carried at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Soshanguve South campus. The study focused on the following objectives: exploring the classification of female university students who own cell phones, establishing the general phenomena influencing the use of mobile phones by female university students at a university of technology and perceived gratification and finally establishing the patterns of mobile phone use by female students and the lifestyle patterns generated thereafter. The study collected data from 100 female students at the institution using a survey. The findings indicated that the main reasons female university students at TUT use a mobile phone are for socialising, sharing academic work and solutions as well as for safety and privacy purposes. The major reason for choice of brand was seen to be usability and price. The respondents showed some signs of addiction to their mobile phones. The findings of this study are beneficial to marketers of mobile phones in Pretoria and the rest of the country; it is also useful to mobile phone developers, universities, parents, and researchers exploring mobile phone adoption and usage pattern in a developing country such as South Africa.

Mobile Phone Usage in Organizational Communication and Decision-Making

2014 ◽  
pp. 240-257
Author(s):  
Yun Xia ◽  
Yuping Mao
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Relationship Maintenance ◽  
Customer Relationship ◽  
Communication Tool ◽  
Mobile Phone Use ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Mobile Phone Usage

Through individual in-depth interviews, the authors examine employees’ use of mobile phones for decision-making and internal/external communication in the China branch of a multinational company. The study shows that mobile phones are a key communication tool in the company. Voice calls are the most preferable way of mobile phone use due to their synchronous nature for instant communication and the rich verbal cues they carry. Text messaging is an unobtrusive way of business communication and it can be used as the formal documentation of business decision-making. Group text messaging turns the mobile phone into a mass communication platform for customer relationship maintenance. Contingency theory is applied to further discuss the findings, and practical recommendations are also provided.

An Analysis of Mobile Phone Use in Nigerian Agricultural Development

2020 ◽  
pp. 1358-1377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osadebamwen Anthony Ogbeide ◽  
Ideba Ele
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Market Access ◽  
Mobile Phone Use ◽  
Mobile Phone Technology ◽  
Questionnaire Administration ◽  
Mobile Phone Usage ◽  
On Farm

This study used 328 smallholder farmer respondents to investigate its objectives of how farmers use mobile phone technology, what benefits they have gained from the use, and the constraints encountered during the process. The quantitative data collected through a process of questionnaire administration were analysed using Stata 12 software. The results indicate that mobile phone usage for farm and other social purposes has increased with farmers. The farmers also spend almost 40% of their phone bills on farm-related activities and that seeking market information represented 17.32% of the total phone bill in a month. Increased efficiency in input delivery, market access, and output distribution were reported as some of the advantages of using mobile phones. This study was conducted in a region where its general characteristics may not reflect that of the entire country thus generalisation of the study may be limited, so the data should be cautiously use.

The effect of duration of mobile phone usage on blood pressure and heart rate: Evidence from a cohort study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehdi Moradinazar
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Systolic Blood Pressure ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Diastolic Blood Pressure ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Mobile Phone Use ◽  
Mobile Phone Usage

BACKGROUND Despite being considered valuable information communication technology (ICT) tools, mobile phones can have some adverse health consequences. OBJECTIVE The present study was conducted to investigate the relationships of mobile phone usage with blood pressure and heart rate in the participants in the first phase of Ravansar Non-Communicable Diseases (RaNCD) cohort study. METHODS The present study used the data collected from the recruitment stage of a population-based investigation, RaNCD cohort study in western part of Iran. The participants with the mobile phone were divided into four equal quantiles using principal component analysis (PCA) to categorize the mean duration of mobile phone usage over the previous 12 months in min/day. RESULTS Among a total of 8801 participants 35-65 in RaNCD cohort, the duration of mobile phone use was 19.5 min/day, as 1515 (17.0%) of the participants in RaNCD cohort study did not use mobile phones. After controlling the confounding variables, the reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP) was found to be higher than that in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) with an increase in the duration of mobile phone use. In fact, SBP -1.86(-2.83, -0.89) was less than DBP -1.86 (-2.83, -0.89) in the subjects who used their phones for 23.5-330 min/day compared to in those who never used a mobile phone. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study show that exposure to a cellular phone does not terribly effect on SBP, DBP and heart rate. We also found that cell-phone usage was inverse associated with hypertension in women than men; nevertheless, further studies are recommended that be conducted to confirm the significance of this relationship CLINICALTRIAL mobile phone, hypertension, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure

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