What are Digital Public Health Interventions? First Steps Towards a Definition and an Intervention Classification Framework (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian Wienert ◽  
Tina Jahnel ◽  
Laura Maaß
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Acceptance ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Intervention Development ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Prevention And Health Promotion ◽  
Fast Development ◽  
Public Health Functions

UNSTRUCTURED Digital Public Health (DiPH) presents itself as an emerging field for population-based research and practice. The fast development of digital technologies provides a fundamentally new understanding of improving Public Health by using digitalization, especially in prevention and health promotion. The first step towards a better understanding of DiPH is to conceptualize the subject of assessment by answering what DiPH interventions are. This is important as one cannot evaluate tools if one does not know what precisely an intervention in this field can be. Therefore, this paper aims to give the first definition for DiPH interventions. We will merge leading models for Public Health functions by the WHO, a framework for digital health technologies by the National Institute for Care and Excellence (NICE), and a user-centered approach to intervention development. Together, they provide us with an overview of functions and areas of use for DiPH interventions. Nevertheless, one must keep in mind that Public Health functions can differ between different healthcare systems, limiting our new framework's universal validity. We conclude that a DiPH intervention should address essential Public Health functions by digital means. Furthermore, it should include members of the target-group in the development process to improve social acceptance and achieve a population health impact.

Health Disparities and New Health Technologies – A Patients’ and Human Rights Perspective

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Mette Hartlev
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
Human Rights Based Approach ◽  
Based Medicine ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The human right to health requires that everyone should have equal opportunities to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health. In practice, this is hard to achieve, as health is shaped by social determinants. This article explores the impact personalized medicine and use of big data may have on health disparities. New health technologies offer a lot of hope for more individual and better health promotion and care, which potentially could be beneficial for the most deprived. However, there are also concerns that not all population groups will profit equally from this new population-based medicine, and that new digital health technologies will maintain – or even reinforce – existing health disparities. This article suggests using insights from poverty studies combined with a patients’ and human rights-based approach to ensure that the most deprived are not left behind in the application of new health technologies.

Unpacking ‘the cloud’: a framework for implementing public health approaches to palliative care

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 160-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn A Pfaff ◽  
Lisa Dolovich ◽  
Michelle Howard ◽  
Deborah Sattler ◽  
Merrick Zwarenstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Systems Of Care ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Public Health Approach ◽  
Healthcare Needs ◽  
Health Level ◽  
The Social ◽  
Development Evaluation

Summary Designing and implementing population-based systems of care that address the social determinants of health, take action on multiple levels, and are guided by evidence-based principles is a pressing priority, and an international challenge. Aging persons are a priority demographic whose health needs span physical, psychosocial and existential care domains, increase in the last year of life, are often poorly coordinated and therefore remain unmet. Compassionate communities (CCs) are an example of a public health approach that fully addresses the holistic healthcare needs of those who are aging and nearing end of life. The sharing of resources, tools, and innovations among implementers of CCs is occurring globally. Although this can increase impact, it also generates complexity that can complicate robust evaluation. When initiating population health level projects, it is important to clearly define and organize concepts and processes that are proposed to influence the health outcomes. The Health Impact Change Model (HICM) was developed to unpack the complexities associated with the implementation and evaluation of a Canadian CC intervention. The HICM offers utility for citizens, leaders and decision-makers who are engaged in the implementation of population health level strategies or other social approaches to care, such as compassionate cities and age or dementia-friendly communities. The HICM’s concepts can be adapted to address a community’s healthcare context, needs, and goals for change. We share examples of how the model’s major concepts have been applied in the development, evaluation and spread of a complex CC approach.

scholarly journals Addressing Healthcare Gaps in Sweden during the COVID-19 Outbreak: On Community Outreach and Empowering Ethnic Minority Groups in a Digitalized Context

Healthcare ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 445
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Valeriani ◽  
Iris Sarajlic Vukovic ◽  
Tomas Lindegaard ◽  
Roberto Felizia ◽  
Richard Mollica ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Community Outreach ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Individual

Since its early stages, the COVID-19 pandemic has interacted with existing divides by ethnicity and socioeconomic statuses, exacerbating further inequalities in high-income countries. The Swedish public health strategy, built on mutual trust between the government and the society and giving the responsibility to the individual, has been criticized for not applying a dedicated and more diverse strategy for most disadvantaged migrants in dealing with the pandemic. In order to mitigate the unequal burden on the marginalized members of society, increasing efforts have been addressed to digital health technologies. Despite the strong potential of providing collective public health benefits, especially in a highly digitalized context as Sweden, need for a stronger cooperation between the public health authorities and migrant community leaders, representatives of migrant associations, religious leaders and other influencers of disadvantaged groups has emerged. Suggestions are presented on more culturally congruent, patient-centered health care services aimed to empower people to participate in a more effective public health response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Digitized Health Promotion

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Lupton
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Public Health Policy ◽  
Social Epidemiology ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Personal Responsibility ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Health Technologies

This chapter explores the use of digital health technologies in health promotion endeavors. This “digitized health promotion” is the latest stage in the trajectory of health promotion ideology and practice over the past four decades in wealthy Anglophone nations. Lupton argues that over this period the individualistic approach to good health commonly espoused in medicine and public health was challenged by advocates arguing for a greater focus on social justice and social epidemiology. The individualistic approach to health promotion never disappeared, however, and has gathered momentum in the current economic, political, and technological climate. While many health promotion workers still champion the ideals of “health for all,” public health policy in the context of digitized health promotion has begun to return to emphasizing personal responsibility for health.

scholarly journals The potential use of digital health technologies in the African context: a systematic review of evidence from Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsegahun Manyazewal ◽  
Yimtubezinash Woldeamanuel ◽  
Henry M. Blumberg ◽  
Abebaw Fekadu ◽  
Vincent C. Marconi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Global Strategy ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Health Practices ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Potential Use

AbstractThe World Health Organization (WHO) recently put forth a Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025 with several countries having already achieved key milestones. We aimed to understand whether and how digital health technologies (DHTs) are absorbed in Africa, tracking Ethiopia as a key node. We conducted a systematic review, searching PubMed-MEDLINE, Embase, ScienceDirect, African Journals Online, Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform databases from inception to 02 February 2021 for studies of any design that investigated the potential of DHTs in clinical or public health practices in Ethiopia. This review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021240645) and it was designed to inform our ongoing DHT-enabled randomized controlled trial (RCT) (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04216420). We found 27,493 potentially relevant citations, among which 52 studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 596,128 patients, healthy individuals, and healthcare professionals. The studies involved six DHTs: mHealth (29 studies, 574,649 participants); electronic health records (13 studies, 4534 participants); telemedicine (4 studies, 465 participants); cloud-based application (2 studies, 2382 participants); information communication technology (3 studies, 681 participants), and artificial intelligence (1 study, 13,417 participants). The studies targeted six health conditions: maternal and child health (15), infectious diseases (14), non-communicable diseases (3), dermatitis (1), surgery (4), and general health conditions (15). The outcomes of interest were feasibility, usability, willingness or readiness, effectiveness, quality improvement, and knowledge or attitude toward DHTs. Five studies involved RCTs. The analysis showed that although DHTs are a relatively recent phenomenon in Ethiopia, their potential harnessing clinical and public health practices are highly visible. Their adoption and implementation in full capacity require more training, access to better devices such as smartphones, and infrastructure. DHTs hold much promise tackling major clinical and public health backlogs and strengthening the healthcare ecosystem in Ethiopia. More RCTs are needed on emerging DHTs including artificial intelligence, big data, cloud, cybersecurity, telemedicine, and wearable devices to provide robust evidence of their potential use in such settings and to materialize the WHO’s Global Strategy on Digital Health.

scholarly journals “Sometimes I don’t have a pulse … and I’m still alive!” Interviews with healthcare professionals to explore their experiences of and views on population-based digital health technologies

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 205520762110183
Author(s):  
Flavio Tomasella ◽  
Heather May Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Clinical Value ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages

Background Digital technologies are increasingly becoming an integral part of our daily routine and professional lives, and the healthcare field is no exception. Commercially available digital health technologies (DHTs – e.g. smartphones, smartwatches and apps) may hold significant potential in healthcare upon successful and constructive implementation. Literature on the topic is split between enthusiasm associated with potential benefits and concerns around privacy, reliability and overall effectiveness. However, little is known about what healthcare professionals (HCPs) have experienced so far with patients and what they perceive as the main advantages and disadvantages of adoption. This study therefore aims to investigate current perceptions of HCPs towards self-tracked health-related outputs from devices and apps available to the public. Methods Nine HCPs volunteered to take part in semi-structured interviews. Related data were thematically analysed, following a deductive approach with the construction of a framework based on expected themes from the relevant literature, and themes identified from the first two interviews. Findings The following main themes in relation to DHTs were identified and explored in detail: HCPs’ experience, knowledge and views; advantages and disadvantages; barriers towards healthcare implementation and potential solutions; future directions. While most participants were adopters of DHTs and held positive views about them, their overall experience with patients and the technology was limited. Potential reasons for this were explored, including factors such as time/resources; colleagues’ mindset; lack of evidence of effectiveness for practice; data security concerns. Conclusions The potential advantages of DHTs’ adoption in healthcare are substantial, e.g. patient autonomy, time/resources saving, health and behaviour change promotion, but are presently premature. Therefore, future research is warranted, focussing on addressing barriers, minimising disadvantages, and assessing the clinical value of commercially available DHTs.

scholarly journals COVID-19, digital health technology and the politics of the unprecedented

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 205395172110194
Author(s):  
Dillon Wamsley ◽  
Benjamin Chin-Yee
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Science And Technology Studies ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Current State ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Public Health Institutions ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
State Responses

The COVID-19 global pandemic has stretched the capacities of public health institutions and health systems around the world, opening the door to a range of technologically-driven solutions. In this article, we seek to historicize the expanding role of digital health technologies and examine the political-economic context from which they have emerged. Drawing on critical insights from science and technology studies, we maintain that the rise of digital health technologies has been catalyzed by broad shifts in global health governance that have expanded the role of market forces in public health and a unique set of political and economic crises that have accelerated the adoption of digital technologies—often under the guise of appeals to technological innovation to address “unprecedented” crises. These interrelated historical trends, we contend, are critical for understanding current state responses to the pandemic and possibilities for more equitable and democratic applications of technology in public health.

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