The use of chatbots as supportive agents for people seeking help for drug and alcohol addiction: A systematic review. (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Ogilvie ◽  
Jerome Carson ◽  
Julie Prescott
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Healthcare Setting ◽  
The Body ◽  
Alcohol Addiction ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Qualitative Work ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Drug And Alcohol

BACKGROUND The use of chatbots in healthcare is an area of study receiving increased academic interest. As the knowledge base grows, the granularity in the level of research is being refined, seeing more targeted work in specific areas of healthcare, for example, chatbots for anxiety and depression, cancer care, and pregnancy support. This paper focuses on the targeted application of chatbots in drug and alcohol addiction. OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper is to systematically review and summarise the research conducted on the use of chatbots in the field of addiction, specifically the use of chatbots as supportive agents for those who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction. METHODS A systematic search of bibliographic databases using the broad search criteria of “chatbot and addiction,” identified papers for screening. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool were used, which resulted in the quality assessment and review of 5 papers. RESULTS Although the body of research in this field is limited, what has been published shows promising results. A combination of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies were reviewed, among which statistically significant findings were reported on the efficacy of chatbots targeted at drug and alcohol addiction. These findings were also substantiated in the qualitative work reviewed. A strong message of caution was conveyed however on the ethical implications of using chatbots to afford support to addicted individuals. CONCLUSIONS The literature reviewed shows that more work is needed to appreciate solutions that leverage existing data, such as big data available from social media, or that which is accessed by prevalent market leading chatbots. It also highlighted ethical concerns over the use of a non-human agent to afford support to those with drug and alcohol addiction. It was reported however, that statistically significant results were returned for ‘bespoke’ chatbots in this area of healthcare, setting a promising foundation for future work.

Bowel ischaemia after endovascular aneurysm repair

VASA ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 273-277
Author(s):  
Christopher Lowe ◽  
Oussama El Bakbachi ◽  
Damian Kelleher ◽  
Imran Asghar ◽  
Francesco Torella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Case Reports ◽  
Endovascular Aneurysm Repair ◽  
Artery Occlusion ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Bowel Ischaemia ◽  
Prophylactic Measures ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Prisma Statement ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Aneurysm Repair

Abstract. The aim of this review was to investigate presentation, aetiology, management, and outcomes of bowel ischaemia following EVAR. We present a case report and searched electronic bibliographic databases to identify published reports of bowel ischaemia following elective infra-renal EVAR not involving hypogastric artery coverage or iliac branch devices. We conducted our review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement standards. In total, five cohort studies and three case reports were included. These studies detailed some 6,184 infra-renal elective EVARs, without procedure-related occlusion of the hypogastric arteries, performed between 1996 and 2014. Bowel ischaemia in this setting is uncommon with an incidence ranging from 0.5 to 2.8 % and includes a spectrum of severity from mucosal to transmural ischaemia. Due to varying reporting standards, an overall proportion of patients requiring bowel resection could not be ascertained. In the larger series, mortality ranged from 35 to 80 %. Atheroembolization, hypotension, and inferior mesenteric artery occlusion were reported as potential causative factors. Elderly patients and those undergoing prolonged procedures appear at higher risk. Bowel ischaemia is a rare but potentially devastating complication following elective infra-renal EVAR and can occur in the setting of patent mesenteric vessels and hypogastric arteries. Mortality ranges from 35 to 80 %. Further research is required to identify risk factors and establish prophylactic measures in patients that have an increased risk of developing bowel ischaemia after standard infra-renal EVAR.

Prevention of drug and alcohol addiction

Globus ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
P.P. Bartaeva ◽  
D.A. Zhigzhitov ◽  
V.E. Coj ◽  
A.V. Tokarev
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Addiction ◽  
Drug And Alcohol

Sleep and cognition

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald L. Bliwise ◽  
Michael K. Scullin
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Natural History ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Biological Plausibility ◽  
Vast Array ◽  
Neurobiological Substrates ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Sleep And Cognition ◽  
Future Work

Possible associations between sleep and cognition are provocative across different domains and hold the promise of prevention or reversibility. A vast array of studies has been reported. Evidence is suggestive but hardly definitive. We provide an overview of this literature, adopting the framework of Hill’s perspective on epidemiological causation. With rare exception, formal meta-analyses have yet to appear. Apparent consistency of findings suggests relationships, but the diversity of findings involving specific components of cognitive function raises interpretative caution. Large effect sizes have been noted, but small-to-moderate effects predominate. Natural history data are similarly enticing, and studies of biological plausibility and gradient indicate likely neurobiological substrates. Perhaps the ultimate population-health criterion, demonstration of reversibility of impairment, remains elusive at best. This area offers an exciting topic for future work.

scholarly journals Impact of Educational Technology on Teacher Stress and Anxiety: A Literature Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 548
Author(s):  
José-María Fernández-Batanero ◽  
Pedro Román-Graván ◽  
Miguel-María Reyes-Rebollo ◽  
Marta Montenegro-Rueda
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Educational Technology ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Teacher Stress ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Technology In The Classroom ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
Meta Analyses

Educational technology has become an increasingly important element for improving the teaching and learning process of students. To achieve these goals, it is essential that teachers have the skills they need to be able to introduce technology into their teaching practice. However, this is often overwhelming and stressful for many of them. The aim of this review was to find out how research on teacher stress and anxiety associated with the use of educational technology was proceeding. A systematic review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines through the following bibliographic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Sixteen articles were found from the review. The main findings show that teachers present high levels of anxiety or stress due to their use of educational technology in the classroom. Among the conclusions, the need for research on different strategies to prevent the emergence of these anxiety and stress symptoms in teachers stands out.

scholarly journals Robot-Assisted Autism Therapy (RAAT). Criteria and Types of Experiments Using Anthropomorphic and Zoomorphic Robots. Review of the Research

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 3720
Author(s):  
Barbara Szymona ◽  
Marcin Maciejewski ◽  
Robert Karpiński ◽  
Kamil Jonak ◽  
Elżbieta Radzikowska-Büchner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Schema ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
The Body ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Robot Assisted ◽  
Social Contacts ◽  
Joint Activities ◽  
Autism Therapy ◽  
Real Person ◽  
Future Work

Supporting the development of a child with autism is a multi-profile therapeutic work on disturbed areas, especially understanding and linguistic expression used in social communication and development of social contacts. Previous studies show that it is possible to perform some therapy using a robot. This article is a synthesis review of the literature on research with the use of robots in the therapy of children with the diagnosis of early childhood autism. The review includes scientific journals from 2005–2021. Using descriptors: ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders), Social robots, and Robot-based interventions, an analysis of available research in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science was done. The results showed that a robot seems to be a great tool that encourages contact and involvement in joint activities. The review of the literature indicates the potential value of the use of robots in the therapy of people with autism as a facilitator in social contacts. Robot-Assisted Autism Therapy (RAAT) can encourage child to talk or do exercises. In the second aspect (prompting during a conversation), a robot encourages eye contact and suggests possible answers, e.g., during free conversation with a peer. In the third aspect (teaching, entertainment), the robot could play with autistic children in games supporting the development of joint attention. These types of games stimulate the development of motor skills and orientation in the body schema. In future work, a validation test would be desirable to check whether children with ASD are able to do the same with a real person by learning distrust and cheating the robot.

scholarly journals Reduced differentiation of emotion-associated bodily sensations in autism

Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132098795
Author(s):  
Eleanor R Palser ◽  
Alejandro Galvez-Pol ◽  
Clare E Palmer ◽  
Ricci Hannah ◽  
Aikaterini Fotopoulou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
The Body ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
Future Work

Differences in understanding emotion in autism are well-documented, although far more research has considered how being autistic impacts an understanding of other people’s emotions, compared to their own. In neurotypical adults and children, many emotions are associated with distinct bodily maps of experienced sensation, and the ability to report these maps is significantly related to the awareness of interoceptive signals. Here, in 100 children who either carry a clinical diagnosis of autism ( n = 45) or who have no history of autism ( n = 55), we investigated potential differences in differentiation across autistic children’s bodily maps of emotion, as well as how such differentiation relates to the processing of interoceptive signals. As such, we measured objective interoceptive performance using the heartbeat-counting task, and participants’ subjective experience of interoceptive signals using the child version of the Body Perception Questionnaire. We found less differentiation in the bodily maps of emotion in autistic children, but no association with either objective or subjective interoceptive processing. These findings suggest that, in addition to previously reported differences in detecting others’ emotional states, autistic children have a less differentiated bodily experience of emotion. This does not, however, relate to differences in interoceptive perception as measured here. Lay abstract More research has been conducted on how autistic people understand and interpret other people’s emotions, than on how autistic people experience their own emotions. The experience of emotion is important however, because it can relate to difficulties like anxiety and depression, which are common in autism. In neurotypical adults and children, different emotions have been associated with unique maps of activity patterns in the body. Whether these maps of emotion are comparable in autism is currently unknown. Here, we asked 100 children and adolescents, 45 of whom were autistic, to color in outlines of the body to indicate how they experienced seven emotions. Autistic adults and children sometimes report differences in how they experience their internal bodily states, termed interoception, and so we also investigated how this related to the bodily maps of emotion. In this study, the autistic children and adolescents had comparable interoception to the non-autistic children and adolescents, but there was less variability in their maps of emotion. In other words, they showed more similar patterns of activity across the different emotions. This was not related to interoception, however. This work suggests that there are differences in how autistic people experience emotion that are not explained by differences in interoception. In neurotypical people, less variability in emotional experiences is linked to anxiety and depression, and future work should seek to understand if this is a contributing factor to the increased prevalence of these difficulties in autism.

scholarly journals Team functioning and implementation of innovations in healthcare and human service settings: a systematic review protocol

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. McGuier ◽  
David J. Kolko ◽  
Mary Lou Klem ◽  
Jamie Feldman ◽  
Grace Kinkler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Human Service ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Implementation Outcomes ◽  
Services Implementation ◽  
Team Functioning

Abstract Background Healthcare and human services increasingly rely on teams of individuals to deliver services. Implementation of evidence-based practices and other innovations in these settings requires teams to work together to change processes and behaviors. Accordingly, team functioning may be a key determinant of implementation outcomes. This systematic review will identify and summarize empirical research examining associations between team functioning and implementation outcomes in healthcare and human service settings. Methods We will conduct a comprehensive search of bibliographic databases (e.g., MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC) for articles published from January 2000 or later. We will include peer-reviewed empirical articles and conference abstracts using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods. We will include experimental or observational studies that report on the implementation of an innovation in a healthcare or human service setting and examine associations between team functioning and implementation outcomes. Implementation outcomes of interest are acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, cost, feasibility, fidelity, penetration, and sustainability. Two reviewers will independently screen all titles/abstracts, review full-text articles, and extract data from included articles. We will use the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool to assess methodological quality/bias and conduct a narrative synthesis without meta-analysis. Discussion Understanding how team functioning influences implementation outcomes will contribute to our understanding of team-level barriers and facilitators of change. The results of this systematic review will inform efforts to implement evidence-based practices in team-based service settings. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42020220168

scholarly journals Cytokines as Biomarkers and Their Respective Clinical Cutoff Levels

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca N. Monastero ◽  
Srinivas Pentyala
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Necrosis ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
The Body ◽  
Tumor Necrosis Factors ◽  
Biochemical Pathways ◽  
Downstream Effects ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Receiver Operator Characteristics ◽  
Cutoff Levels

Cytokines, including interleukins, interferons, tumor necrosis factors, and chemokines, have a variety of pro- and anti-inflammatory effects in the body through a number of biochemical pathways and interactions. Stimuli, actions, interactions, and downstream effects of cytokines have been investigated in more depth in recent years, and clinical research has also been conducted to implicate cytokines in causal patterns in certain diseases. However, particular cutoffs of cytokines as biomarkers for disease processes have not been well studied, and this warrants future work to potentially improve diagnoses for diseases with inflammatory markers. A limited number of studies in this area are reviewed, considering diseases correlated with abnormal cytokine profiles, as well as specific cutoffs at which cytokines have been deemed clinically useful for diagnosing those diseases through Receiver Operator Characteristics modeling. In light of studies such as those discussed in this review, cytokine testing has the potential to support diagnosis due to its lack of invasiveness and low cost, compared to other common types of testing for infections and inflammatory diseases.

Adverse effects related to tattoos in the community setting: a systematic review

2021 ◽  
pp. jech-2021-216874
Author(s):  
Alessandro Sindoni ◽  
Federica Valeriani ◽  
Francesca Gallè ◽  
Giorgio Liguori ◽  
Vincenzo Romano Spica ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Community Setting ◽  
Social Science Citation Index ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Literature Evidence ◽  
Registration Number ◽  
Health Complications ◽  
Meta Analyses

BackgroundTattoos were historically associated with deviant behaviours or religious and other social purposes, but in the last decades, they have gained increasing popularity and have become a mainstream. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the literature evidence about decorative tattoos complications, considering both infective and non-infective risks.MethodsThis systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Statement. We searched the following electronic bibliographic databases: PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science (science and social science citation index).ResultsThe literature search resulted in 6473 studies. A total of 207 full articles were considered potentially relevant and were reviewed independently by researchers. After full-text evaluation, 152 of 207 articles were excluded, as they did not meet selection criteria. The remaining 55 studies were included in the systematic review and their quality assessment was performed. Ten studies reported microbiological complications, 37 reported non-microbiological effects and eight reported either microbiological and non-microbiological complications.ConclusionsSeveral well-known and uncommon risks are associated with tattooing and tattoo after-care. Public health authorities could take into account health education programmes for tattooists and customers in order to prevent health complications in people with tattoos.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020177972.

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