scholarly journals Potential Applications of Emerging Technologies in Disease Surveillance

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay Huang ◽  
Wayne Loschen
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Public Health Surveillance ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Emerging Technologies ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Health Field

ObjectiveThe objective of this presentation is to explore emerging technologies and how they will impact the public health field. New technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) will likely be incorporated into epidemiological methods and processes. This presentation will provide an overview of these technologies and focus on how they may impact public health surveillance in the future.IntroductionWith the increase in the amount of public health data along with the growth of public health informatics, it is important for epidemiologists to understand the current trends in technology and the impact they may have in the field. Because it is unfeasible for public health professionals to be an expert in every emerging technology, this presentation seeks to provide them with a better understanding of how emerging technologies may impact the field and the level of expertise required to realize benefits from the new technologies. Furthermore, understanding the capabilities provided by emerging technologies may guide future training and continuing education for public health professionals.MethodsAnalysis of current capabilities and potential advances in emerging technologies such as blockchain, AI, and IoT were performed by reviewing articles and whitepapers. In addition to a literature review, interviews will be performed with public health experts to determine how the emerging technologies align with current practices and the extent to which they may solve existing public health surveillance challenges.ResultsThe literature review revealed many emerging technologies and potential applications in the public health field, including:BlockchainBlockchains can serve as electronic health information exchanges that hold the metadata and access information for patient electronic health records (EHRs).1 These systems can ensure data privacy protections while also facilitate relevant data sharing from EHRs to disease surveillance systems. Furthermore, blockchain technology can be used in food supply chain management systems. During food contamination events, epidemiologists can trace through the blockchain to identify possible sources of the contamination.2AIAI can be used to improve the prediction and detection capabilities of disease surveillance systems. Machine learning algorithms can reveal patterns in the data and enable faster anomaly detection. Furthermore, machine learning models can be trained on data to create predictive models.IoTUrban IoT systems can monitor environmental indices including water and air quality, energy consumption, waste management, and traffic congestion in smart cities.3 The data collected from such systems can be incorporated into more comprehensive disease surveillance systems and assist epidemiologists in better understanding populations and environmental risk factors.We will analyze and discuss such prospective applications with public health professionals to determine their potential impact on public health processes and practices in the next one, five, and ten years.ConclusionsBlockchain, AI, IoT and other emerging technologies have applications in public health surveillance and impact the field to varying degrees. In addition to technological advances, there will be barriers to adoption that must be overcome before the value provided by the technologies can be realized. Many new technologies will require significant collaboration between public health departments, healthcare providers, and other partners to successfully incorporate the technologies into epidemiological processes. These collaborations include forming consortiums to exchange data in a blockchain and working with IoT providers for data access. Some technologies will require public health professionals to obtain additional training before they can take full advantage of the capabilities provided, while other technologies may be implemented by external partners allowing epidemiologists to utilize the new capabilities without the need to completely understand the underlying concepts. As emerging technologies are introduced into the public health field, a strong understanding of their capabilities and suitable applications will allow public health professionals to fully capture the benefits provided by the new technologies.References1. Ekblaw A, Azaria A, Halamka JD, Lippman A. A Case Study for Blockchain in Healthcare:“MedRec” prototype for electronic health records and medical research data. InProceedings of IEEE open & big data conference 2016 Aug 22 (Vol. 13, p. 13).2. Yiannas F. A New Era of Food Transparency Powered by Blockchain. Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization. 2018 Jul;12(1-2):46-56.3. Zanella A, Bui N, Castellani A, Vangelista L, Zorzi M. Internet of things for smart cities. IEEE Internet of Things Journal. 2014 Feb 14;1(1):22-32.

Public Health Surveillance: Ethical Considerations

2019 ◽  
pp. 319-330
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Data Science ◽  
Public Health Surveillance ◽  
Health Surveillance ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Science Data ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Ethical Conflicts

Public health surveillance is one approach used by public health professionals to gather evidence to inform public health policies and actions. Related ethical considerations have evolved over time, from those common to infectious disease surveillance, such as privacy and confidentiality, consent, discrimination, and stigma, to additional considerations related to the surveillance of noncommunicable conditions, such as self-determination justice, and provision of benefit. Recent advances in technology, data science, data collection, and expectations of how public health surveillance can serve the public good have substantial implications for how public health professionals should design and conduct ethical surveillance systems. Public health professionals can anticipate, address, and potentially avoid ethical conflicts by integrating ethical considerations throughout the development and implementation of a public health surveillance system.

scholarly journals Geographic Information Systems: Usability, Perception, and Preferences of Public Health Professionals

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Awatef Ahmed Ben Ramadan ◽  
Jeannette Jackson-Thompson ◽  
Suzanne Austin Boren
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Geographic Information Systems ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Geographic Information ◽  
Gis Technology ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Health Field

Background: Analyzing and visualizing health-related databases using Geographic Information Systems (GISs) becomes essential in controlling many public health problems.Objectives: To explore the perception and preferences of public health professionals (PHPs) about the usability of GISs in public health fieldMethods: For this scoping review, the investigators searched Medline Ovid, PubMed, IEEE, Scopus, and GeoBase databases. A total of 105 articles were identified.  Nine articles met the inclusion criteria.Results: Iterative evaluations, training, and involvement of GIS end users are productive in GIS usability. More methodologies are needed to support the validity of GIS usability studies. The exchange of GIS technology impacts public health policy and research positively.Discussion: PHPs are aware of the use of GISs in the public health field, and the exchange of visualized health data in determining inequalities and inaccessibility issues.Conclusion: GISs are essential to control public health problems, if the related health datasets are analyzed carefully and if the mapping reports are extensively evaluated and interpreted. Keywords:  Geographic Information systems, GIS, Public Health, Usability 

scholarly journals Evaluation of Advanced Field Epidemiology Training Programs in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A Multi-Country Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohannad Al Nsour ◽  
Yousef Khader ◽  
Haitham Bashier ◽  
Majd Alsoukhni
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Public Health Surveillance ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Health Surveillance ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Field Epidemiology ◽  
Public Health Professionals

Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETPs) are competency-based training programs aiming to strengthen the epidemiologic capacity of the public health workforce. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the advanced FETPs in the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR) and ascertain whether the expected objectives of the programs are met. A descriptive study was conducted based on Kirkpatrick's model for evaluating training programs. Data were collected from FETP graduates and FETP technical advisers on the practices of FETP graduates, their engagement in key areas of field epidemiology, and their perceived skills and capacity to perform such activities. A total of 166 FETP graduates responded to the online survey. Almost two-thirds of FETP graduates reported that they are often engaged in managing public health surveillance systems (n = 119, 71.7%), analyzing the surveillance data (n = 116, 69.9%), training public health professionals (n = 113, 68.1%), investigations on and response to outbreaks (n = 109, 65.7%), and managing staff and resources (n = 106, 63.9%). However, only 28.3% reported that they are often engaged in writing scientific research articles. More than two-thirds of graduates reported that the FETP helped them to perform most of the field epidemiology activities and rate their skills as good. In conclusion, the FETP graduates in the EMR were well engaged in many field epidemiology activities including managing public health surveillance systems, surveillance data analysis, training public health professionals, and investigations on and response to outbreaks. Therefore, the FETPs should continue supporting the graduates to work toward strengthening surveillance systems and investigating outbreaks and to participate in regional and global efforts as part of the Global Health Security.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Education for Public Health: A Practical Foundation for Solidarity

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Perkiö ◽  
R Harrison ◽  
M Grivna ◽  
D Tao ◽  
C Evashwich
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Public Health Education ◽  
Public Health Workforce ◽  
Rigorous Evaluation ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Professionals

Abstract Education is a key to creating solidary among the professionals who advance public health’s interdisciplinary mission. Our assumption is that if all those who work in public health shared core knowledge and the skills for interdisciplinary interaction, collaboration across disciplines, venues, and countries would be facilitated. Evaluation of education is an essential element of pedagogy to ensure quality and consistency across boundaries, as articulated by the UNESCO education standards. Our study examined the evaluation studies done by programs that educate public health professionals. We searched the peer reviewed literature published in English between 2000-2017 pertaining to the education of the public health workforce at a degree-granting level. The 2442 articles found covered ten health professions disciplines and had lead authors representing all continents. Only 86 articles focused on evaluation. The majority of the papers examined either a single course, a discipline-specific curriculum or a teaching method. No consistent methodologies could be discerned. Methods ranged from sophisticated regression analyses and trends tracked over time to descriptions of focus groups and interviews of small samples. We found that evaluations were primarily discipline-specific, lacked rigorous methodology in many instances, and that relatively few examined competencies or career expectations. The public health workforce enjoys a diversity of disciplines but must be able to come together to share diverse knowledge and skills. Evaluation is critical to achieving a workforce that is well trained in the competencies pertinent to collaboration. This study informs the pedagogical challenges that must be confronted going forward, starting with a commitment to shared core competencies and to consistent and rigorous evaluation of the education related to training public health professionals. Key messages Rigorous evaluation is not sufficiently used to enhance the quality of public health education. More frequent use of rigorous evaluation in public health education would enhance the quality of public health workforce, and enable cross-disciplinary and international collaboration for solidarity.

scholarly journals Maternal risk factors for childhood malnutrition in Pakistan: demographic health survey 2012-13

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Zaheer ◽  
N Shah ◽  
N Safdar
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Health Survey ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Child Malnutrition ◽  
P Value ◽  
Maternal Risk ◽  
The Public ◽  
Childhood Malnutrition ◽  
Public Health Professionals

Abstract Background In Pakistan, this is a catastrophe for 44% children combating with stunted growth; the third highest percentage of stunted children in the world and further 1 million children are underweight. Fifteen percent of children are wasted and half of them are anemic, and almost one-third of the children have iron deficiency anemia. The study aimed to collate all contributing factors that have been reported in the PDHS-2012-13 survey for child malnutrition. Methods Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey, 2012-13 data was used (n = 1967). Forty five factors were extracted from PDHS 2012-13 and factor analysis was performed to reduce these factors into similar potential factors by using principle component (PC) decomposition. Malnutrition status of children of age < 5 years was assessed by using three indices: height-for-age, weight-for-height, and weight for age. To examine the associations between derived factors and childhood malnutrition, binary logistic regression was used. Results About 43% of under-five children are stunted, 26.9% are underweight and 12.6% are wasted. Multivariate adjusted results showed mothers who belong to poor quintile (OR: 1.50, p-value 0.02), who afraid of husband all the time (OR: 1.36, p-value 0.02), who had > 4 children (OR: 1.47, p-value <0.01), and who used tobacco (OR: 1.80, p-value 0.02) were more likely to have stunted children. However, mothers who had no education (OR: 1.82, p-value<0.01), who were poor dweller (OR: 1.55, p-value 0.03), who used unprotected water (OR: 1.62, p-value<0.01), mothers who had younger age at birth (OR: 1.37, p-value 0.02) were more likely have underweight children. Conclusions Maternal socio-demographics and environmental factors were more significantly associated with child malnutrition. This study will enable the public health professionals' workforce tier at a national level to gain expertise and formulate better planning in order to improve child health in Pakistan. Key messages This study will enable the public health professionals’ workforce tier to achieve gains in child health in Pakistan. Study findings may help to improved and to initiate evidence-based guidelines for maternal and child health.

scholarly journals The Challenge of Digital transformation in Public Health in Europe?

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Velez-Lapão
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Public Health Workforce ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Workforce ◽  
Digital Services ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Healthcare systems are facing many challenges, from demographics to multi-morbidities that are associated with increasing the demand for more services. The new technologies are thought to be a solution to these problems. However, to address these problems with digitalization of healthcare it will imply the combination of proper use of technologies, aligned with integrated working-processes and skilled professionals. Methods This study provides a scoping review on existing public health digital services and aimed to identify the main digitalization challenges, from competencies to technology use. The databases of Pubmed and Ebsco were searched. Results 17 papers were selected, and the three main priorities were identified. First, it will highlight the challenges associated with the digitalization of healthcare, the second the implementation of digital services, considering a method to design online service, the third the impact of digitalization on healthcare workforce performance. An overview of the major effects of transformative technologies (e.g. eHealth services, Internet of Things solutions, Artificial Intelligence) on the healthcare workforce will be addressed. Moreover, to what extent is the digital transition affecting formal qualifications of public health professionals? What are the major implications of technological change for future skill needs and competences of the public health workforce? Finally, the discussion examines the challenges of digitalization for public health services in Europe. Conclusions Proper digitalization of healthcare will enable changes in the paradigm of healthcare delivery as well as in the mechanism for patients’ participation and engagement. The sustainability of healthcare will depend on how efficient we will make digital-services design. Key words Digital health, Public Health, Digital Transformation, Public Health professionals, Europe

scholarly journals What is a disease? Perspectives of the public, health professionals and legislators

BMJ Open ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. e001632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kari A O Tikkinen ◽  
Janne S Leinonen ◽  
Gordon H Guyatt ◽  
Shanil Ebrahim ◽  
Teppo L N Järvinen
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Professionals

scholarly journals Public Health Literacy for Lawyers

2003 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 701-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy E. Parmet ◽  
Anthony Robbins
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
The World ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Public Health Literacy

Public health professionals recognize the critical role the law plays in determining the success of public health measures. Even before September 11, 2001, public health experience with tobacco use, HIV, industrial pollution and other potent threats to the health of the public demonstrated that laws can assist or thwart public health efforts. The new focus on infectious threats and bioterrorism, starting with the anthrax attacks through the mail and continuing with SARS, has highlighted the important role of law.For lawyers to serve as effective partners in public health, they should have a basic familiarity with public health: how public health professionals see the world and the key issues they tackle. A practical grasp of public health can be acquired, and often is acquired, “on the job.”

scholarly journals Toolkit for detecting misused epidemiological methods

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin L. Soskolne ◽  
Shira Kramer ◽  
Juan Pablo Ramos-Bonilla ◽  
Daniele Mandrioli ◽  
Jennifer Sass ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Conflict Of Interest ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
The Body ◽  
Epidemiological Methods ◽  
Design Data ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Cast Doubt

Abstract Background Critical knowledge of what we know about health and disease, risk factors, causation, prevention, and treatment, derives from epidemiology. Unfortunately, its methods and language can be misused and improperly applied. A repertoire of methods, techniques, arguments, and tactics are used by some people to manipulate science, usually in the service of powerful interests, and particularly those with a financial stake related to toxic agents. Such interests work to foment uncertainty, cast doubt, and mislead decision makers by seeding confusion about cause-and-effect relating to population health. We have compiled a toolkit of the methods used by those whose interests are not aligned with the public health sciences. Professional epidemiologists, as well as those who rely on their work, will thereby be more readily equipped to detect bias and flaws resulting from financial conflict-of-interest, improper study design, data collection, analysis, or interpretation, bringing greater clarity—not only to the advancement of knowledge, but, more immediately, to policy debates. Methods The summary of techniques used to manipulate epidemiological findings, compiled as part of the 2020 Position Statement of the International Network for Epidemiology in Policy (INEP) entitled Conflict-of-Interest and Disclosure in Epidemiology, has been expanded and further elucidated in this commentary. Results Some level of uncertainty is inherent in science. However, corrupted and incomplete literature contributes to confuse, foment further uncertainty, and cast doubt about the evidence under consideration. Confusion delays scientific advancement and leads to the inability of policymakers to make changes that, if enacted, would—supported by the body of valid evidence—protect, maintain, and improve public health. An accessible toolkit is provided that brings attention to the misuse of the methods of epidemiology. Its usefulness is as a compendium of what those trained in epidemiology, as well as those reviewing epidemiological studies, should identify methodologically when assessing the transparency and validity of any epidemiological inquiry, evaluation, or argument. The problems resulting from financial conflicting interests and the misuse of scientific methods, in conjunction with the strategies that can be used to safeguard public health against them, apply not only to epidemiologists, but also to other public health professionals. Conclusions This novel toolkit is for use in protecting the public. It is provided to assist public health professionals as gatekeepers of their respective specialty and subspecialty disciplines whose mission includes protecting, maintaining, and improving the public’s health. It is intended to serve our roles as educators, reviewers, and researchers.

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