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Journal of Medical Internet Research Nov 2023The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid changes to health care delivery, including a shift from in-person to digitally delivered psychotherapy. While these changes... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid changes to health care delivery, including a shift from in-person to digitally delivered psychotherapy. While these changes helped ensure timely psychotherapy provision, many concerns exist, including clinical, cultural, practical, privacy, and security issues.
OBJECTIVE
This scoping review systematically mapped existing peer-reviewed research on synchronous, therapist-delivered web-based psychotherapy for individuals with a diagnosed mental illness. Data were analyzed through the lens of the Alberta Quality Matrix for Health (AQMH) to assess to what degree this literature addresses key indicators of health care quality. This analysis aided in the identification and organization of knowledge gaps with regard to web-based psychotherapies, highlighting potential disparities between previously prioritized dimensions of care and those requiring further attention.
METHODS
This review adhered to the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. We included peer-reviewed primary research studies in the English language investigating synchronous, therapist-delivered remote psychotherapy delivered to adults (aged 18 years and older) with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or International Statistical Classification of Diseases diagnosed mental illness. All other citations were excluded. Relevant studies were identified through MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, Embase (OVID), Web of Science: Core Collection (Clarivate), Cochrane Library (Wiley), and Scopus (Elsevier) databases. Databases were searched on March 18, 2021. For every publication that was taken into consideration, the data were charted independently by 2 reviewers, and in the event of a discrepancy, the principal investigator validated the choice of either extractor. Results were thematically described according to the 6 AQMH dimensions: acceptability, accessibility, appropriateness, effectiveness, efficiency, and safety.
RESULTS
From 13,209 publications, 48 articles were included, largely from North American studies. Most studies measured treatment effectiveness (n=48, 100%) and acceptability (n=29, 60%) health quality dimensions. Over 80% (40/48) of studies investigated either a cognitive or exposure intervention for either posttraumatic stress disorder or a mood or anxiety disorder, generally indicating comparable results to in-person therapy. Safety (n=5, 10%) was measured in fewer studies, while treatment accessibility, appropriateness, and efficiency were not explicitly measured in any study, although these dimensions were mentioned as a future direction, hypothesis, or potential outcome.
CONCLUSIONS
In relation to web-based therapist-delivered psychotherapies for those with a diagnosed mental illness, important aspects of health care quality (accessibility, appropriateness, efficiency, and safety) have received little scientific examination, underscoring a need to address these gaps. There are also significant issues related to the generalizability of this literature, including the underrepresentation of many geographic regions, cultures, populations, clinical contexts, and psychotherapy modalities. Qualitative research in underrepresented populations and settings may uncover important patient and contextual factors important for the future implementation of quality web-based psychotherapy.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Pandemics; Psychotherapy; Anxiety Disorders; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Internet
PubMed: 37921863
DOI: 10.2196/40710 -
Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease 2021The advent of mobile applications for health and medicine will revolutionize travel medicine. Despite their many benefits, such as access to real-time data, mobile apps... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The advent of mobile applications for health and medicine will revolutionize travel medicine. Despite their many benefits, such as access to real-time data, mobile apps for travel medicine are accompanied by many ethical issues, including questions about security and privacy.
METHODS
A systematic literature review as conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Database screening yielded 1795 results and seven papers satisfied the criteria for inclusion. Through a mix of inductive and deductive data extraction, this systematic review examined both the benefits and challenges, as well as ethical considerations, of mobile apps for travel medicine.
RESULTS
Ethical considerations were discussed with varying depth across the included articles, with privacy and data protection mentioned most frequently, highlighting concerns over sensitive information and a lack of guidelines in the digital sphere. Additionally, technical concerns about data quality and bias were predominant issues for researchers and developers alike. Some ethical issues were not discussed at all, including equity, and user involvement.
CONCLUSION
This paper highlights the scarcity of discussion around ethical issues. Both researchers and developers need to better integrate ethical reflection at each step of the development and use of health apps. More effective oversight mechanisms and clearer ethical guidance are needed to guide the stakeholders in this endeavour.
Topics: Humans; Mobile Applications; Privacy; Travel Medicine
PubMed: 34256131
DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102143 -
BMJ Open Nov 2023To assess the current evidence on the potential of digital health interventions (DHIs) to improve adherence to oral antipsychotics among patients with schizophrenia by... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
To assess the current evidence on the potential of digital health interventions (DHIs) to improve adherence to oral antipsychotics among patients with schizophrenia by assessing the methodologies, feasibility and effectiveness of DHIs as well as the perceptions of relevant stakeholders.
DESIGN
The scoping review was conducted based on the methodologies outlined by Levac and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines.
DATA SOURCES
PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library were searched in August 2023 to identify relevant publications from the previous decade.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Studies published in English focused on improving medication adherence among adult patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder via DHIs were selected. Protocols, editorials, comments, perspectives, reviews, correspondence and conference abstracts were excluded.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
The extracted data included general information about the study, framework, participants, features and strategies of DHIs, measurement tools for adherence used, and main findings.
RESULTS
In total, 64 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. Features used in DHIs to improve medication adherence included phone calls, text messages, mobile apps, sensors, web-based platforms and electronic devices. Strategies included medication reminders and monitoring, providing medication-related information and suggestions, other illness management suggestions and individual support. Texting and mobile apps were commonly used as medication reminders and monitoring methods. Additionally, the use of sensors combined with other digital technologies has garnered significant attention. All the interventions were considered acceptable and feasible, and several were assessed in pilot trials. Preliminary findings suggest that DHIs could enhance medication adherence in patients with schizophrenia. However, further validation of their effectiveness is required.
CONCLUSION
DHIs are a promising approach to enhancing medication adherence among patients with schizophrenia. Future interventions should be interactive, focusing on user preference, experience and privacy.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Antipsychotic Agents; Schizophrenia; Text Messaging; Psychotic Disorders; Medication Adherence
PubMed: 37977861
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-071984 -
PeerJ. Computer Science 2022Microservices is an emerging paradigm for developing distributed systems. With their widespread adoption, more and more work investigated the relation between...
Microservices is an emerging paradigm for developing distributed systems. With their widespread adoption, more and more work investigated the relation between microservices and security. Alas, the literature on this subject does not form a well-defined : it is spread over many venues and composed of contributions mainly addressing specific scenarios or needs. In this work, we conduct a systematic review of the field, gathering 290 relevant publications-at the time of writing, the largest curated dataset on the topic. We analyse our dataset along two lines: (a) quantitatively, through publication metadata, which allows us to chart publication outlets, communities, approaches, and tackled issues; (b) qualitatively, through 20 research questions used to provide an aggregated overview of the literature and to spot gaps left open. We summarise our analyses in the conclusion in the form of a call for action to address the main open challenges.
PubMed: 35111904
DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.779 -
Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine Jan 2017Asthma is the most prevalent chronic respiratory disease and represents a relevant socioeconomic burden. e-Health has the potential to improve disease control and... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Asthma is the most prevalent chronic respiratory disease and represents a relevant socioeconomic burden. e-Health has the potential to improve disease control and adherence to treatment in asthmatic patients. Available data are, however, scarce and inconsistent limiting the use of e-health in clinical practice. This article aims to provide a systematic review of the literature published in the last year regarding the real place and impact of e-health in the management of asthma.
RECENT FINDINGS
Despite few conflicting results, collected findings support a beneficial effect of e-health on asthma management and control, as well as positive patients' acceptance and satisfaction. Included studies mainly assessed m-health, telemedicine, electronic health record and digital app interventions, in both adults and children. Existing evidence appears however to be only of moderate quality and high heterogeneity was found in the study endpoints and designs.
SUMMARY
There is the need to establish widely adopted standards for conducting trials and reporting results in e-health. These should include minimal clinical difference assessment and prevent potential pitfalls such as patient privacy protection, data fishing and lack of compliance of interventions with evidence-based medicine, guideline recommendations and regulatory board statements.
Topics: Asthma; Chronic Disease; Evidence-Based Medicine; Humans; Telemedicine
PubMed: 27763999
DOI: 10.1097/MCP.0000000000000336 -
Journal of Clinical Tuberculosis and... May 2024Virtual modes of tuberculosis (TB) treatment monitoring have become increasingly relevant in the last decade with the advancements and increasing accessibility of... (Review)
Review
Virtual modes of tuberculosis (TB) treatment monitoring have become increasingly relevant in the last decade with the advancements and increasing accessibility of technology. We conducted a systematic review comparing people with TB's perceptions of standard directly observed therapy (DOT) versus video directly observed therapy (vDOT). Studies were obtained from MEDLINE and EMBASE between January 1, 1974 and February 4, 2021. Of the 22 articles reviewed, a qualitative thematic analysis was performed, drawing on common themes from people with TB's perception of their care. 21 studies showed relative preference for and acceptance of vDOT over DOT. Factors that increased acceptability toward vDOT included cost and time saving, personal sense of empowerment, convenience, and privacy. Studies also showed greater adherence to treatment and subsequent improved health outcomes. vDOT has the potential to be an empowering, person-centered treatment modality for TB therapy. The role of social determinants such as place of residence, access to technology, and patient-provider communication requires further exploration.
PubMed: 38380432
DOI: 10.1016/j.jctube.2023.100406 -
International Journal of Environmental... Feb 2023This scoping review mapped and synthesised existing evidence on the influence of individual, parental, peer, and societal-related factors on adolescents' decisions to... (Review)
Review
This scoping review mapped and synthesised existing evidence on the influence of individual, parental, peer, and societal-related factors on adolescents' decisions to use contraception in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Peer-reviewed and review articles published before May 2022, targeting adolescents aged 10-19 years were searched in PubMed, MEDLINE with Full Text via EBSCOhost, PsychINFO via EBSCOhost, CINAHL with Full Text via EBSCOhost, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Scopus databases. Seven studies were included and analysed using thematic analysis based on the social-ecological model (SEM) and reported using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA). Individual (fear of side effects, fear of infertility), parental (parental disappointment and disapproval), peer (social stigma), partner (association with promiscuity and multiple sexual partners), societal and community (contraceptive use disapproval and stigma), and institutional and environmental factors (lack of privacy and confidentiality) influence contraceptive decisions among adolescents. These also include a lack of accurate information, social exclusion, negative health provider attitudes, and a lack of infrastructure that provides privacy and safe spaces. Identifying and addressing core issues within the context of local cultural practices that restrict contraceptive use is important. Holistic, inclusive approaches that promote the well-being of adolescents must be utilised to provide a conducive environment that ensures privacy, confidentiality, safety, and easy access to contraceptive services.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Contraceptive Agents; Contraception; Confidentiality; Africa South of the Sahara; Privacy
PubMed: 36768107
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032744 -
Cureus Jul 2022Mobile health (mHealth) applications (apps) have the potential to increase access to mental health care. In China, there is growing interest in mHealth apps for... (Review)
Review
Mobile health (mHealth) applications (apps) have the potential to increase access to mental health care. In China, there is growing interest in mHealth apps for depression. Our objective was to systematically review research on mHealth for depression in China to identify benefits and challenges. A systematic literature search was conducted using Chinese and English databases in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Randomized and nonrandomized clinical studies on mHealth apps and depression in China were included. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria with three randomized trials, two quasi-randomized trials, one clinical trial with an uncertain grouping method, and one study with a single-group design. All studies used the WeChat platform and included activities such as psychoeducation, self-management, supervised group chats, and/or remote contact with a healthcare team, in comparison to usual care. All studies reported significant and large benefits for outcomes, but the risk of bias was high. There are few rigorous evaluations of mHealth apps for depression in China, with all included studies involving WeChat programs and most using WeChat to extend nursing discharge care for inpatients with depression. While these studies showed significant improvement in health outcomes as compared to usual care, the results remain inconclusive because of the high risk of bias. mHealth holds promise for increasing access to mental health care in China, but issues such as efficacy, scalability, patient and clinician acceptability, and data privacy must be addressed.
PubMed: 35903483
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.27299 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2022Blockchain (BC) has recently paved the way for developing Decentralized Identity Management (IdM) systems for different information systems. Researchers widely use it to... (Review)
Review
Blockchain (BC) has recently paved the way for developing Decentralized Identity Management (IdM) systems for different information systems. Researchers widely use it to develop decentralized IdM systems for the Health Internet of Things (HIoT). HIoT is considered a vulnerable system that produces and processes sensitive data. BC-based IdM systems have the potential to be more secure and privacy-aware than centralized IdM systems. However, many studies have shown potential security risks to using BC. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) conducted by the authors on BC-based IdM systems in HIoT systems showed a lack of comprehensive security and risk management frameworks for BC-based IdM systems in HIoT. Conducting a further SLR focusing on risk management and supplemented by Grey Literature (GL), in this paper, a security taxonomy, security framework, and cybersecurity risk management framework for the HIoT BC-IdM systems are identified and proposed. The cybersecurity risk management framework will significantly assist developers, researchers, and organizations in developing a secure BC-based IdM to ensure HIoT users' data privacy and security.
Topics: Blockchain; Computer Security; Awareness; Dietary Supplements; Risk Management
PubMed: 36616816
DOI: 10.3390/s23010218 -
Journal of the American Medical... Jan 2016The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize current knowledge of the factors influencing healthcare professional adoption of mobile health (m-health)... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize current knowledge of the factors influencing healthcare professional adoption of mobile health (m-health) applications.
METHODS
Covering a period from 2000 to 2014, we conducted a systematic literature search on four electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychInfo). We also consulted references from included studies. We included studies if they reported the perceptions of healthcare professionals regarding barriers and facilitators to m-health utilization, if they were published in English, Spanish, or French and if they presented an empirical study design (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods). Two authors independently assessed study quality and performed content analysis using a validated extraction grid with pre-established categorization of barriers and facilitators.
RESULTS
The search strategy led to a total of 4223 potentially relevant papers, of which 33 met the inclusion criteria. Main perceived adoption factors to m-health at the individual, organizational, and contextual levels were the following: perceived usefulness and ease of use, design and technical concerns, cost, time, privacy and security issues, familiarity with the technology, risk-benefit assessment, and interaction with others (colleagues, patients, and management).
CONCLUSION
This systematic review provides a set of key elements making it possible to understand the challenges and opportunities for m-health utilization by healthcare providers.
Topics: Attitude of Health Personnel; Diffusion of Innovation; Health Personnel; Telemedicine
PubMed: 26078410
DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocv052