Critical Information Missing: A Scoping Review of Considerations for the Design and Implementation of COVID-19 Contact Tracing Apps (Preprint)

Digital contact tracing applications (CTAs) have been one of the most widely discussed technical methods of controlling the COVID-19 outbreak. The effectiveness of this technology and its ethical justification depend highly on public acceptance and adoption. This study aims to describe the current knowledge about public acceptance of CTAs and identify individual perspectives, which are essential to consider concerning CTA acceptance and adoption. In this scoping review, 25 studies from four continents across the globe are compiled, and critical topics are identified and discussed. The results show that public acceptance varies across national cultures and sociodemographic strata. Lower acceptance among people who are mistrusting, socially disadvantaged, or those with low technical skills suggest a risk that CTAs may amplify existing inequities. Regarding determinants of acceptance, eight themes emerged, covering both attitudes and behavioral perspectives that can influence acceptance, including trust, privacy concerns, social responsibility, perceived health threat, experience of and access to technologies, performance expectancy and perceived benefits, and understanding. Furthermore, widespread misconceptions about the CTA function are a topic in need of immediate attention to ensure the safe use of CTAs. The intention-action gap is another topic in need of more research.

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Relative infectiousness of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infected persons compared with symptomatic individuals: a rapid scoping review

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042354 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. e042354

Author(s):

David McEvoy ◽

Conor McAloon ◽

Aine Collins ◽

Kevin Hunt ◽

Francis Butler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Quantitative Measure ◽

Contact Tracing ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

International Studies ◽

Screening Process ◽

Modelling Studies ◽

Asymptomatic Individuals ◽

Definition Of ◽

The Cochrane Library

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determine the relative infectiousness of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infected persons compared with symptomatic individuals based on a scoping review of available literature.DesignRapid scoping review of peer-reviewed literature from 1 January to 5 December 2020 using the LitCovid database and the Cochrane library.SettingInternational studies on the infectiousness of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2.ParticipantsStudies were selected for inclusion if they defined asymptomatics as a separate cohort distinct from presymptomatics and if they provided a quantitative measure of the infectiousness of asymptomatics relative to symptomatics.Primary outcome measuresPCR result (PCR studies), the rate of infection (mathematical modelling studies) and secondary attack rate (contact tracing studies) - in each case from asymptomatic in comparison with symptomatic individuals.ResultsThere are only a limited number of published studies that report estimates of relative infectiousness of asymptomatic compared with symptomatic individuals. 12 studies were included after the screening process. Significant differences exist in the definition of infectiousness. PCR studies in general show no difference in shedding levels between symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals; however, the number of study subjects is generally limited. Two modelling studies estimate relative infectiousness to be 0.43 and 0.57, but both of these were more reflective of the infectiousness of undocumented rather than asymptomatic cases. The results from contact tracing studies include estimates of relative infectiousness of 0, but with insufficient evidence to conclude that it is significantly different from 1.ConclusionsThere is considerable heterogeneity in estimates of relative infectiousness highlighting the need for further investigation of this important parameter. It is not possible to provide any conclusive estimate of relative infectiousness, as the estimates from the reviewed studies varied between 0 and 1.

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Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior Related to COVID-19 Testing: A Rapid Scoping Review

Diagnostics ◽

10.3390/diagnostics11091685 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 1685

Author(s):

Imogen Bevan ◽

Mats Stage Baxter ◽

Helen R. Stagg ◽

Alice Street

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Social Process ◽

Social Science Research ◽

Science Research ◽

Social Solidarity ◽

Contact Tracing ◽

The Public ◽

Testing Uptake ◽

And Behavior ◽

Attitudes And Behavior

Testing programs for COVID-19 depend on the voluntary actions of members of the public for their success. Understanding people’s knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to COVID-19 testing is, therefore, key to the design of effective testing programs worldwide. This paper reports on the findings of a rapid scoping review to map the extent, characteristics, and scope of social science research on COVID-19 testing and identifies key themes from the literature. Main findings include the discoveries that people are largely accepting of testing technologies and guidelines and that a sense of social solidarity is a key motivator of testing uptake. The main barriers to accessing and undertaking testing include uncertainty about eligibility and how to access tests, difficulty interpreting symptoms, logistical issues including transport to and from test sites and the discomfort of sample extraction, and concerns about the consequences of a positive result. The review found that existing research was limited in depth and scope. More research employing longitudinal and qualitative methods based in under-resourced settings and examining intersections between testing and experiences of social, political, and economic vulnerability is needed. Last, the findings of this review suggest that testing should be understood as a social process that is inseparable from processes of contact tracing and isolation and is embedded in people’s everyday routines, livelihoods and relationships.

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Unraveling the Complexity in the Design and Implementation of Bundled Payments: A Scoping Review of Key Elements From a Payer's Perspective

Milbank Quarterly ◽

10.1111/1468-0009.12438 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 98 (1) ◽

pp. 197-222 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

SANDER STEENHUIS ◽

JEROEN STRUIJS ◽

XANDER KOOLMAN ◽

JOHANNES KET ◽

ERIC VAN DER HIJDEN

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Bundled Payments ◽

Design And Implementation

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Using Biological Feedback to Promote Health Behavior Change in Adults: Protocol for a Scoping Review (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.32579 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kelli Marie Richardson ◽

Ahlam A Saleh ◽

Michelle R Jospe ◽

Yue Liao ◽

Susan Schembre

Keyword(s):

Health Behavior ◽

Behavior Change ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Health Behavior Change ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Cochrane Central Register ◽

Biological Feedback ◽

Design And Implementation ◽

Behavior Change Interventions ◽

Wide Range

BACKGROUND Many health conditions can be prevented, managed, or improved through behavioral interventions. Biological feedback, as a component of health behavior change interventions, is of particular interest given recent advances in wearable biosensing technology, digital health apps, and personalized health and wellness. Yet, there is a paucity of literature to guide the design and implementation of interventions that incorporate biological feedback to motivate health behavior change. OBJECTIVE The goal of this scoping review is to deeply explore the use of biological feedback as a component of health behavior change interventions that target adults. Objectives of the review include: (1) mapping the domains of research that incorporate biological feedback and (2) describing the operational characteristics of using biological feedback in the context of health behavior change. METHODS A comprehensive list of search terms was developed to capture studies from a wide range of domains. Studies to be included are randomized controlled trials targeting adults ≥18 years old that use biological feedback to change a health-related behavior, and are published as primary research articles, theses, or dissertations. The following electronic databases were searched: Ovid MEDLINE, Embase.com Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EBSCOhost PsycINFO, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. The screening and data extraction process will be guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis and conducted by trained reviewers. RESULTS Database searches were completed in June 2021. A total of 50,459 unique records were returned after the removal of 48,634 duplicate records. The scoping review is planned for completion in 2022. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this will be the first scoping review to map the literature that uses biological feedback as a component of health behavior change interventions targeting adults. Findings will be used to develop a framework to guide the design and implementation of future health behavior change interventions that incorporate biological feedback. CLINICALTRIAL 10.17605/OSF.IO/YP5WA

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Key issues for participatory research in the design and implementation of humanitarian assistance: a scoping review

Global Health Action ◽

10.1080/16549716.2020.1826730 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 1826730

Author(s):

Ilja Ormel ◽

Jon Salsberg ◽

Matthew Hunt ◽

Alison Doucet ◽

Lisa Hinton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Participatory Research ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Humanitarian Assistance ◽

Design And Implementation ◽

Key Issues

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Design and Implementation of a Social Distancing and Contact Tracing Wearable

2020 6th IEEE Congress on Information Science and Technology (CiSt) ◽

10.1109/cist49399.2021.9357203 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Yannick Verbelen ◽

Suresh Kaluvan ◽

Ulrike Haller ◽

Morgan Boardman ◽

Tom B. Scott

Keyword(s):

Contact Tracing ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Design And Implementation

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An overview of the features of technologies implemented during the first wave of COVID-19: A scoping review (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.29136 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Alaa Abd-Alrazaq ◽

Asmaa Hassan ◽

Israa Abuelezz ◽

Arfan Ahmed ◽

Mahmood Alzubaidi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Health Condition ◽

Health Conditions ◽

Contact Tracing ◽

Future Research ◽

Reference List ◽

Web Based ◽

Scoping Reviews ◽

Common Purpose ◽

Novel Coronavirus

BACKGROUND Technology has been extensively implemented in the fight against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). While several reviews were conducted regarding technologies used during COVID-19, they were limited either by focusing on a certain technology or feature, or by technology that was proposed rather than implemented. OBJECTIVE This review aims to explore the features of technologies implemented during the first wave of COVID-19 as reported in the literature. METHODS The authors conducted a scoping review following the guidelines of PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Studies were retrieved through searching 8 electronic databases and conducting backward and forward reference list checking. Two reviewers independently assessed the eligibility of studies and extracted data from the included articles. We then used a narrative approach to synthesize the extracted data. RESULTS Of 7,374 retrieved studies, 126 were deemed eligible. Telemedicine was the most common type of technology (85%) implemented in the first wave of COVID-19. The most common mode of telemedicine was synchronous (93.5%). The most common purpose of the technologies was providing consultation (59.5%), followed by following up with patients (35.7%) and monitoring their health status (17.4%). Zoom (17.5%) and WhatsApp (9.5%) were the most common social media and video-conferencing platforms. Both healthcare professionals and health consumers were the most common target users (81.7%). The health condition most frequently targeted by the implemented technologies was COVID-19 (30.2%), followed by any physical health conditions (16.7%) and mental health conditions (10.3%). Technologies were web-based in 84.1% of the included studies. Technologies in the included studies could be used through 11 venues. The most common venue of technologies was mobile applications (68.3%), followed by desktop applications (57.9%), telephone calls (38.9%), and websites (35.7%). CONCLUSIONS Technology played a crucial role in mitigating the COVID-19 challenges. Our review did not find other technologies that were implemented during the first wave of COVID-19 (e.g., contact-tracing apps, drones, blockchain). Further, technologies in this review were used for other purposes (e.g., drugs and vaccines discovery, social distancing, and immunity passport). Future research on studies about such technologies and purposes is recommended. Further reviews are required to investigate technologies implemented in the following waves of COVID-19.

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Digital contact tracing and exposure notification: ethical guidance for trustworthy pandemic management

Ethics and Information Technology ◽

10.1007/s10676-020-09566-8 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Robert Ranisch ◽

Niels Nijsingh ◽

Angela Ballantyne ◽

Anne van Bergen ◽

Alena Buyx ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Trust ◽

Ethical Framework ◽

Contact Tracing ◽

Ethical Considerations ◽

Design And Implementation ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Starting Point ◽

Ethical Guidance

Abstract There is growing interest in contact tracing apps (CT apps) for pandemic management. It is crucial to consider ethical requirements before, while, and after implementing such apps. In this paper, we illustrate the complexity and multiplicity of the ethical considerations by presenting an ethical framework for a responsible design and implementation of CT apps. Using this framework as a starting point, we briefly highlight the interconnection of social and political contexts, available measures of pandemic management, and a multi-layer assessment of CT apps. We will discuss some trade-offs that arise from this perspective. We then suggest that public trust is of major importance for population uptake of contact tracing apps. Hasty, ill-prepared or badly communicated implementations of CT apps will likely undermine public trust, and as such, risk impeding general effectiveness.

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Contact tracing indicators for COVID-19: rapid scoping review and conceptual framework

10.1101/2021.05.13.21257067 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Florian Vogt ◽

Karishma Kurup ◽

Paul Mussleman ◽

Caroline Habrun ◽

Madeleine Crowe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Conceptual Framework ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Contact Tracing ◽

Financial Resources ◽

Process Indicators ◽

Case Investigation ◽

Transmission Chain ◽

The Impact ◽

Output Indicators

Background: Contact tracing is one of the key interventions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic but its implementation varies widely across countries. There is little guidance on how to monitor contact tracing performance, and no systematic overview of indicators to assess contact tracing systems or conceptual framework for such indicators exists to date. Methods: We conducted a rapid scoping review using a systematic literature search strategy in the peer-reviewed and grey literature as well as open source online documents. We developed a conceptual framework to map indicators by type (input, process, output, outcome, impact) and thematic area (human resources, financial resources, case investigation, contact identification, contact testing, contact follow up, case isolation, contact quarantine, transmission chain interruption, incidence reduction). Results: We identified a total of 153 contact tracing indicators from 1,555 peer-reviewed studies, 894 studies from grey literature sources, and 15 sources from internet searches. Two-thirds of indicators were process indicators (102; 67%), while 48 (31%) indicators were output indicators. Only three (2%) indicators were input indicators. Indicators covered seven out of ten conceptualized thematic areas, with more than half being related to either case investigation (37; 24%) or contact identification (44; 29%). There were no indicators for the input area 'financial resources', the outcome area 'transmission chain interruption', and the impact area 'incidence reduction'. Conclusions: Almost all identified indicators were either process or output indicators focusing on case investigation, contact identification, case isolation or contact quarantine. We identified important gaps in input, outcome and impact indicators, which constrains evidence-based assessment of contact tracing systems. A universally agreed set of indicators is needed to allow for cross-system comparisons and to improve the performance of contact tracing systems.

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