scholarly journals Quality and adoption of COVID-19 contact-tracing apps, with recommendations for development: A systematic, interdisciplinary review of European national apps (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonie Kahnbach ◽  
Dirk Lehr ◽  
Jessica Brandenburger ◽  
Tim Mallwitz ◽  
Sophie Jent ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Health ◽  
Simulation Study ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Personal Data ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Study Results

BACKGROUND Simulation study results suggest that COVID-19 contact-tracing apps have the potential to achieve pandemic control. Concordantly, high app adoption rates were a stipulated prerequisite for success. Early studies on potential adoption were encouraging. Several factors predicting adoption rates were investigated, especially pertaining to user characteristics. Since then, several countries have released COVID-19 contact-tracing apps. OBJECTIVE This study’s primary aim was to investigate the quality characteristics of national European COVID-19 contact-tracing apps, thereby shifting attention from user to application characteristics. Secondly, associations between app quality and adoption were investigated. Finally, app features contributing to higher app quality were identified. METHODS Eligible COVID-19 contact-tracing apps were those released by national health authorities of European Union member states, former member states, and countries of the European Free Trade Association, all countries with comparable legal standards concerning personal data protection and app-usage voluntariness. The Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) was utilized to assess app quality. An interdisciplinary team, consisting of two health and two human-computer-interaction scientists, independently conducted MARS ratings. To investigate associations between app quality and adoptions rates and measures of pandemic control, a Bayesian linear regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS We discovered 21 national COVID-19 contact-tracing apps, all demonstrating high quality overall, and high-level functionality, aesthetics, and information-quality. However, the average app-adoption rate, of 22.9% (SD 12.5%), was far below the level recommended by simulation studies. Lower levels of engagement-oriented app design were detected, with substantial variations between apps. By regression analyses, the best-case adoption rate (BCAR) was calculated by assuming apps achieve highest ratings. The mean BCARs for engagement and overall app quality were 40% and 44%, respectively. Higher adoption rates were associated with lower cumulative infection rates. Overall, we identified five feature categories (symptom assessment and monitoring, regularly-updated information, individualization, tracing, and communication) and 14 individual features that contributed to higher app quality. These 14 features were: a symptom checker, a symptom diary, statistics on COVID-19, app usage, public health instructions/restrictions, information of burden on healthcare system, assigning personal data, regional updates, control over tracing activity, contact diary, venue check-in, chats, helplines, and app-sharing capacity. CONCLUSIONS European national health authorities have generally released high-quality COVID-19 contact-tracing apps, with regards to functionality, aesthetics, and information quality. However, the app’s engagement-oriented design generally was of lower quality, even though regression analyses results identify engagement as a promising optimization target to increase adoption rates. Associations between higher app-adoption and lower infection rates are consistent with simulation study results, albeit acknowledging that app usage might be part of a broader set of protective attitudes and behaviors for self and others. Various features were identified that could guide further engagement-enhancing app development.

scholarly journals Using the Google™ Search Engine for Health Information: Is There a Problem? Case Study: Supplements for Cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah C Cai ◽  
Leanne E King ◽  
Johanna T Dwyer
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Search Engine ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Nutrition Information ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Search Results ◽  
Health And Nutrition ◽  
Quality Rating

ABSTRACT We assessed the quality of online health and nutrition information using a Google™ search on “supplements for cancer”. Search results were scored using the Health Information Quality Index (HIQI), a quality-rating tool consisting of 12 objective criteria related to website domain, lack of commercial aspects, and authoritative nature of the health and nutrition information provided. Possible scores ranged from 0 (lowest) to 12 (“perfect” or highest quality). After eliminating irrelevant results, the remaining 160 search results had median and mean scores of 8. One-quarter of the results were of high quality (score of 10–12). There was no correlation between high-quality scores and early appearance in the sequence of search results, where results are presumably more visible. Also, 496 advertisements, over twice the number of search results, appeared. We conclude that the Google™ search engine may have shortcomings when used to obtain information on dietary supplements and cancer.

scholarly journals Fueling the Covid-19 pandemic: summer school holidays and incidence rates in German districts

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Plümper ◽  
Eric Neumayer
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Summer School ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Robert Koch Institute ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Holiday Period ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities

AbstractBackgroundThe Robert-Koch-Institute reports that during the summer holiday period a foreign country is stated as the most likely place of infection for an average of 27 and a maximum of 49% of new SARS-CoV-2 infections in Germany.MethodsCross-sectional study on observational data. In Germany, summer school holidays are coordinated between states and spread out over 13 weeks. Employing a dynamic model with district fixed effects, we analyze the association between these holidays and weekly incidence rates across 401 German districts.ResultsWe find effects of the holiday period of around 45% of the average district incidence rates in Germany during their respective final week of holidays and the 2 weeks after holidays end. Western states tend to experience stronger effects than Eastern states. We also find statistically significant interaction effects of school holidays with per capita taxable income and the share of foreign residents in a district’s population.ConclusionsOur results suggest that changed behavior during the holiday season accelerated the pandemic and made it considerably more difficult for public health authorities to contain the spread of the virus by means of contact tracing. Germany’s public health authorities did not prepare adequately for this acceleration.

scholarly journals Limits of data anonymity: lack of public awareness risks trust in health system activities

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Gille ◽  
Caroline Brall
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Personal Data ◽  
Public Trust ◽  
Online News ◽  
Healthcare Management ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Common Denominator ◽  
The Public ◽  
Privacy And Anonymity

AbstractPublic trust is paramount for the well functioning of data driven healthcare activities such as digital health interventions, contact tracing or the build-up of electronic health records. As the use of personal data is the common denominator for these healthcare activities, healthcare actors have an interest to ensure privacy and anonymity of the personal data they depend on. Maintaining privacy and anonymity of personal data contribute to the trustworthiness of these healthcare activities and are associated with the public willingness to trust these activities with their personal data. An analysis of online news readership comments about the failed care.data programme in England revealed that parts of the public have a false understanding of anonymity in the context of privacy protection of personal data as used for healthcare management and medical research. Some of those commenting demanded complete anonymity of their data to be willing to trust the process of data collection and analysis. As this demand is impossible to fulfil and trust is built on a false understanding of anonymity, the inability to meet this demand risks undermining public trust. Since public concerns about anonymity and privacy of personal data appear to be increasing, a large-scale information campaign about the limits and possibilities of anonymity with respect to the various uses of personal health data is urgently needed to help the public to make better informed choices about providing personal data.

Critical Factors to Successful Website Development

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 39-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pradeep Korgaonkar ◽  
Bay O’Leary ◽  
Ronnie Silverblatt
Keyword(s):  
National Survey ◽  
Web Site ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Critical Factors ◽  
Web Site Design ◽  
Website Development ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Cost Reductions ◽  
Site Design ◽  
Security Study

This study was conducted to help understand the factors involved in building a successful website. A national survey of professionals in the areas of Web site design and development were contacted. Based on past published writings in the literature eight factors were identified as critical to the success of website functionality. The factors that are consistently posited in the literature are: 1) Entertainment and Visual Appeal, 2) Reliability, 3) Cost Reductions Attained, 4) Back-End Processes Enabled, 5) Personalization, 6) Information Quality, 7) User Empowerment, and 8) Privacy/Security. Study results are based on the analysis of 349 responses and provide support for the research hypotheses.

scholarly journals How effective was Newfoundland & Labrador’s travel ban to prevent the spread of COVID-19? An agent-based analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dionne M. Aleman ◽  
Benjamin Z. Tham ◽  
Sean J. Wagner ◽  
Justin Semelhago ◽  
Asghar Mohammadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Spatial Location ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
Case Scenario ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Transmission Rates ◽  
Imported Cases ◽  
The Uk

AbstractBackgroundTo prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Newfoundland & Labrador (NL), NL implemented a wide travel ban in May 2020. We estimate the effectiveness of this travel ban using a customized agent-based simulation (ABS).MethodsWe built an individual-level ABS to simulate the movements and behaviors of every member of the NL population, including arriving and departing travellers. The model considers individual properties (spatial location, age, comorbidities) and movements between environments, as well as age-based disease transmission with pre-symptomatic, symptomatic, and asymptomatic transmission rates. We examine low, medium, and high travel volume, traveller infection rates, and traveller quarantine compliance rates to determine the effect of travellers on COVID spread, and the ability of contact tracing to contain outbreaks.ResultsInfected travellers increased COVID cases by 2-52x (8-96x) times and peak hospitalizations by 2-49x (8-94x), with (without) contact tracing. Although contact tracing was highly effective at reducing spread, it was insufficient to stop outbreaks caused by travellers in even the best-case scenario, and the likelihood of exceeding contact tracing capacity was a concern in most scenarios. Quarantine compliance had only a small impact on COVID spread; travel volume and infection rate drove spread.InterpretationNL’s travel ban was likely a critically important intervention to prevent COVID spread. Even a small number of infected travellers can play a significant role in introducing new chains of transmission, resulting in exponential community spread and significant increases in hospitalizations, while outpacing contact tracing capabilities. With the presence of more transmissible variants, e.g., the UK variant, prevention of imported cases is even more critical.

scholarly journals Accelerating Transformation Program in Indonesian Regional Development Banks: The Importance of High-Quality Information

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Sylvia Fettry ◽  
Hamfri Djajadikerta ◽  
Gery Raphael Lusanjaya
Keyword(s):  
Regional Development ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Regional Economics ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Quality Information ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Managerial Implication ◽  
Theoretical Contribution ◽  
High Quality Information

Objective – The role of Indonesia Regional Development Bank (RDB) as an agent of development in each specific operational area is expected to give a significant contribution to regional economics. The Transformation Program in Indonesian RDB started since 2015 is created to optimize the RDB’s role. This study is aimed to gain some description about the level of information quality in Indonesian RDB, to obtain real situation on the implementation of Transformation Program in Indonesian RDB, and to test whether the high-quality information will accelerate the implementation of Transformation Program in Indonesian RDB.Design/methodology – The study was conducted using data from the annual report of Indonesian RDBs and additional in-depth interview with RDB practitioners. The technique of purposive sampling is used in this study with the data availability criteria. The statistic analysis uses multiple regression with t-test and F-test to test the influence of information quality and some control variables on the implementation of Transformation Program in Indonesian RDB. Results – The Indonesian RDBs’ quality of information still cannot be perceived at a high level. The implementation of Transformation Program in Indonesian RDBs has already run in the first phase of foundation building with various obstacles. The high-quality information produced by financial reporting of RDB is proven can accelerate the implementation of Transformation Program in Indonesian RDBs. Research limitations/implications – The theoretical contribution of this study is giving empirical evidence that the information quality accelerates the implementation of Transformation Program in Indonesian RDB. The managerial  implication is that Indonesian RDBs must improve their financial reporting system and create some innovations for the successful Transformation Program. The main limitation of this research is the limited scope of study. It is recommended to make further relevant research on the same issue in a wider context to get more enriched findings.Novelty/Originality – The area of implementation of Transformation Program in Indonesian RDBs has been insufficiently examined currently. Thus, this study contributes to this area by examining whether high-quality information produced by financial reporting will accelerate the implementation of Transformation Program in Indonesian RDB.Keywords Information Quality, Financial Reporting, Banking Transformation.

scholarly journals Using the LIST model to Estimate the Effects of Contact Tracing on COVID-19 Endemic Equilibria in England and its Regions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosalyn J. Moran ◽  
Alexander J. Billig ◽  
Maell Cullen ◽  
Adeel Razi ◽  
Jean Daunizeau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endemic Equilibrium ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
Stable States ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Lower Death Rate ◽  
The Impact ◽  
List Model

AbstractGovernments across Europe are preparing for the emergence from lockdown, in phases, to prevent a resurgence in cases of COVID-19. Along with social distancing (SD) measures, contact tracing – find, track, trace and isolate (FTTI) policies are also being implemented. Here, we investigate FTTI policies in terms of their impact on the endemic equilibrium. We used a generative model – the dynamic causal ‘Location’, ‘Infection’, ‘Symptom’ and ‘Testing’ (LIST) model to identify testing, tracing, and quarantine requirements. We optimised LIST model parameters based on time series of daily reported cases and deaths of COVID-19 in England— and based upon reported cases in the nine regions of England and in all 150 upper tier local authorities. Using these optimised parameters, we forecasted infection rates and the impact of FTTI for each area—national, regional, and local. Predicting data from early June 2020, we find that under conditions of medium-term immunity, a ‘40%’ FTTI policy (or greater), could reach a distinct endemic equilibrium that produces a significantly lower death rate and a decrease in ICU occupancy. Considering regions of England in isolation, some regions could substantially reduce death rates with 20% efficacy. We characterise the accompanying endemic equilibria in terms of dynamical stability, observing bifurcation patterns whereby relatively small increases in FTTI efficacy result in stable states with reduced overall morbidity and mortality. These analyses suggest that FTTI will not only save lives, even if only partially effective, and could underwrite the stability of any endemic steady-state we manage to attain.

scholarly journals Consensus among group members’ shared leadership ratings polarizes group performance

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioku Tomohiro
Keyword(s):  
Shared Leadership ◽  
Group Performance ◽  
Leadership Behavior ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Hierarchical Multiple Regression ◽  
School Settings ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Relationship

We examined whether the extent of perceived variability (i.e., consensus) among group members’ shared leadership ratings polarize group performances. Through using data from 39 classes in school settings, we explored the relationship between students’ shared leadership behavior and group performance as moderated by the extent of variability among group members’ shared leadership ratings. Study results, based on hierarchical multiple regression analyses, were consistent with the hypothesized conceptual scheme of moderation in that the slope of the relationship between shared leadership and group performance was stronger (and positive) for classes with high consensus than ones with low consensus. This indicates consensus among group members’ shared leadership ratings polarizing group performance.

scholarly journals Trends in initiation of direct oral anticoagulant therapies for atrial fibrillation in a national population-based cross-sectional study in the French health insurance databases

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. e018180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laetitia Huiart ◽  
Cyril Ferdynus ◽  
Christel Renoux ◽  
Amélie Beaugrand ◽  
Sophie Lafarge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Multivariate Analysis ◽  
National Health ◽  
Oral Anticoagulant ◽  
Vitamin K Antagonists ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Administrative Database ◽  
Direct Oral Anticoagulant ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
First Choice

ObjectiveUnlike several other national health agencies, French health authorities recommended that the newer direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) agents only be prescribed as second choice for the treatment of newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), with vitamin K antagonists (VKA) remaining the first choice. We investigated the patterns of use of DOACs versus VKA in the treatment of NVAF in France over the first 5 years of DOAC availability. We also identified the changes in patient characteristics of those who initiated DOAC treatment over this time period.MethodsBased on the French National Health Administrative Database, we constituted a population-based cohort of all patients who were newly treated for NVAF between January 2011 and December 2015. Trends in drug use were described as the percentage of patients initiating each drug at the time of treatment initiation. A multivariate analysis using logistic regression model was performed to identify independent sociodemographic and clinical predictors of initial anticoagulant choice.ResultsThe cohort comprised 814 446 patients who had received a new anticoagulant treatment for NVAF. The proportion of patients using DOACs as initial anticoagulant therapy reached 54% 3 months after the Health Ministry approved the reimbursement of dabigatran for NVAF, and 61% by the end of 2015, versus VKA use. In the multivariate analysis, we found that DOAC initiators were younger and healthier overall than VKA initiators, and this tendency was reinforced over the 2011–2014 period. DOACs were more frequently prescribed by cardiologists in 2012 and after (adjusted OR in 2012: 2.47; 95% CI 2.40 to 2.54).ConclusionDespite recommendations from health authorities, DOACs have been rapidly and massively adopted as initial therapy for NVAF in France. Observational studies should account for the fact that patients selected to initiate DOAC treatment are healthier overall, as failure to do so may bias the risk–benefit assessment of DOACs.

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