Toward an Ethically Founded Framework for the Use of Mobile Phone Call Detail Records in Health Research.

Data derived from the plethora of networked digital devices hold great potential for public benefit. Among these, mobile phone call detail records (CDRs) present novel opportunities for research and are being used in a variety of health geography studies. Research suggests that the public is amenable to the use of anonymized CDRs for research; however, further work is needed to show that such data can be used appropriately. This study works toward an ethically founded data governance framework with social acceptability. Using a multifaceted approach, this study draws upon data governance arrangements in published health research using CDRs, with a consideration of public views and the public's information expectations from mobile network operators, and data use scenarios of CDRs in health research. The findings were considered against a backdrop of legislative and regulatory requirements. CDRs can be used at various levels of data and geographic granularity and may be integrated with additional, publicly available or restricted datasets. As such, there may be a significant risk of identity disclosure, which must be mitigated with proportionate control measures. An indicative relative risk of the disclosure model is proposed to aid this process. Subsequently, a set of recommendations is presented, including the need for greater transparency, accountability, and incorporation of public views for social acceptability. This study addresses the need for greater clarity and consistency in data governance for CDRs in health research. While recognizing the need to protect commercial interests, we propose that these recommendations be used to contribute toward an ethically founded practical framework to promote the safe, socially acceptable use of CDR data for public benefit. This pattern needs to be repeated for the appropriate use of new and emerging data types from other networking devices and the wider internet of things.

Ethics of mobile phone surveys to monitor non-communicable disease risk factors in low- and middle-income countries: A global stakeholder survey.

Active public health surveillance has traditionally been carried out through face-to-face household surveys or contact with providers, which can be time and resource intensive. The increasing ubiquity of mobile phones and availability of phone survey platforms provide an opportunity to explore the use of mobile phone surveys (MPS) for active disease and risk factor surveillance, including for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Scholars are increasingly examining the ethics implications of mobile health (mHealth), but few have focused on the ethics of mHealth in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and even fewer on mHealth for active surveillance. Given that little is known about ethics-related attitudes and practices of stakeholders invested in the conduct and oversight of mHealth in LMICs, we undertook a cross-sectional global stakeholder survey of ethics-related issues implicated by active observational MPS, with a contextual frame of monitoring NCD risk factors in LMICs. We analyse these findings with an organising focus on ethical issues that arise before, during and after conduct of an MPS including defining the activity; anticipating harms and benefits; obtaining consent; data ownership, access, and use; and ensuring sustainability. Finally, we present a set of empirical, conceptual, and normative considerations that arise from this analysis and merit further consideration.

Moving the Agenda on Noncommunicable Diseases: Policy Implications of Mobile Phone Surveys in Low and Middle-Income Countries.

The growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), for example, cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory diseases, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) presents special challenges for policy makers, due to resource constraints and lack of timely data for decision-making. Concurrently, the increasing ubiquity of mobile phones in LMICs presents possibilities for rapid collection of population-based data to inform the policy process. The objective of this paper is to highlight potential benefits of mobile phone surveys (MPS) for developing, implementing, and evaluating NCD prevention and control policies. To achieve this aim, we first provide a brief overview of major global commitments to NCD prevention and control, and subsequently explore how countries can translate these commitments into policy action at the national level. Using the policy cycle as our frame of reference, we highlight potential benefits of MPS which include (1) potential cost-effectiveness of using MPS to inform NCD policy actions compared with using traditional household surveys; (2) timeliness of assessments to feed into policy and planning cycles; (3) tracking progress of interventions, hence assessment of reach, coverage, and distribution; (4) better targeting of interventions, for example, to high-risk groups; (5) timely course correction for suboptimal or non-effective interventions; (6) assessing fairness in financial contribution and financial risk protection for those affected by NCDs in the spirit of universal health coverage (UHC); and (7) monitoring progress in reducing catastrophic medical expenditure due to chronic health conditions in general, and NCDs in particular. We conclude that MPS have potential to become a powerful data collection tool to inform policies that address public health challenges such as NCDs. Additional forthcoming assessments of MPS in LMICs will inform opportunities to maximize this technology.

Ethics Considerations in Global Mobile Phone-Based Surveys of Noncommunicable Diseases: A Conceptual Exploration.

Mobile phone coverage has grown, particularly within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), presenting an opportunity to augment routine health surveillance programs. Several LMICs and global health partners are seeking opportunities to launch basic mobile phone-based surveys of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The increasing use of such technology in LMICs brings forth a cluster of ethical challenges; however, much of the existing literature regarding the ethics of mobile or digital health focuses on the use of technologies in high-income countries and does not consider directly the specific ethical issues associated with the conduct of mobile phone surveys (MPS) for NCD risk factor surveillance in LMICs. In this paper, we explore conceptually several of the central ethics issues in this domain, which mainly track the three phases of the MPS process: predata collection, during data collection, and postdata collection. These include identifying the nature of the activity; stakeholder engagement; appropriate design; anticipating and managing potential harms and benefits; consent; reaching intended respondents; data ownership, access and use; and ensuring LMIC sustainability. We call for future work to develop an ethics framework and guidance for the use of mobile phones for disease surveillance globally.

Doctors' use of mobile devices in the clinical setting: a mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: Mobile device use has become almost ubiquitous in daily life and therefore includes use by doctors in clinical settings. There has been little study as to the patterns of use and impact this has on doctors in the workplace and how negatively or positively it impacts at the point of care. AIM: To explore how doctors use mobile devices in the clinical setting and understand drivers for use. METHODS: A mixed methods study was used with doctors in a paediatric and adult teaching hospital in 2013. A paper-based survey examined mobile device usage data by doctors in the clinical setting. Focus groups explored doctors' reasons for using or refraining from using mobile devices in the clinical setting, and their attitudes about others' use. RESULTS: The survey, completed by 109 doctors, showed that 91% owned a smartphone and 88% used their mobile devices frequently in the clinical setting. Trainees were more likely than consultants to use their mobile devices for learning and accessing information related to patient care, as well as for personal communication unrelated to work. Focus group data highlighted a range of factors that influenced doctors to use personal mobile devices in the clinical setting, including convenience for medical photography, and factors that limited use. Distraction in the clinical setting due to use of mobile devices was a key issue. Personal experience and confidence in using mobile devices affected their use, and was guided by role modelling and expectations within a medical team. CONCLUSION: Doctors use mobile devices to enhance efficiency in the workplace. In the current environment, doctors are making their own decisions based on balancing the risks and benefits of using mobile devices in the clinical setting. There is a need for guidelines around acceptable and ethical use that is patient-centred and that respects patient privacy.

Mobile devices in the operating room: Intended and unintended consequences for nurses' work.

This article reports the results of a case study of the consequences of mobile device use for the work practices of operating room nurses. The study identifies different patterns of mobile technology use by operating room nurses, including both work-related and non-work-related use. These patterns have multiple consequences for nurses, such as improvements in information access, e-learning and work-related communication, as well as a perceived increase in distractions from the collaborative work. We conceptualize these consequences in terms of three level effects and explain how we find both positive and negative consequences on the third level. On the positive side, improvements were found in how nurses spent their unoccupied time during the stable parts of operations, contributing to their well-being and job satisfaction. A negative consequence was the perceived increase in distraction from the collaborative operating room work practices.

Uso de aplicativos móveis em cirurgia plástica / Use of mobile applications in plastic surgery

INTRODUÇÃO A modernização da Medicina permitiu uma maior interação entre a equipe médica e o paciente. O desenvolvimento tecnológico, principalmente na comunicação, permitiu a criação de novos aparelhos, como smartphones e tablets. A disseminação destes aparelhos e o desenvolvimento de aplicativos permitiram o uso destes na Medicina, sendo um meio rápido de acesso a informação, diagnóstico, acompanhamento de pacientes, simulações cirúrgicas, orientações, livros eletrônicos e informações sobre a patologia, e na conduta terapêutica e cirúrgica. Este estudo é uma revisão para identificação dos aplicativos sobre cirurgia plástica nestes aparelhos: smartphones e tablets. MÉTODOS: Foram pesquisadas, na língua inglesa, as bases de aplicativos google play® e apple store®, encontradas disponíveis até junho de 2014. Foram encontrados, inicialmente, 588 aplicativos relacionados à cirurgia plástica. Com base na descrição dos aplicativos, estes foram classificados quanto a gratuidade, área de atuação, base em que o aplicativo foi encontrado e utilização. RESULTADOS: Após utilização de critérios, foram encontrados 19 aplicativos, dos quais 11 relacionados à simulação cirúrgica, cinco à avaliação clínica e três sobre microcirurgia e retalhos. Quanto ao acesso, 12 eram gratuitos e sete pagos. Quanto à base de aplicativos, 11 eram exclusivos da apple store®, dois exclusivos da android® e seis encontrados em ambas. CONCLUSÃO: Existem atualmente cerca de 600 aplicativos relacionados à cirurgia plástica, porém apenas cerca de 20 destes apresentam aplicabilidade clínica. É necessário o desenvolvimento da acessibilidade através desses aplicativos em outras línguas, facilitando o uso destes em outros países.

INTRODUCTION The modernization of medicine allowed a greater interaction between medical teams and patients. Technological development, especially in the field of communication, has led to the creation of new devices such as smartphones and tablets. The widespread popularity of these devices and the development of applications have allowed their use in medicine, being quick means of accessing information, diagnosis, patient follow-up, surgical simulations, guidelines, electronic books and information on pathological conditions, and therapeutic and surgical procedures. This study is a review of the applications of smartphones and tablets in plastic surgery. METHODS: The application stores Google Play® and Apple Store® in English were assessed until June 2014. Initially, 588 applications related to plastic surgery were found. Based on their descriptions, the applications were classified according to cost, area of operation, store in which the application is made available, and use. RESULTS: After applying the exclusion criteria, 19 applications were selected, of which 11 were related to surgical simulations; five, to clinical evaluations; and three, to microsurgery and flaps. With regard to access, 12 were free and seven were paid. Of these applications, 11 were exclusive to the Apple Store®, two were exclusive to Android®, and six were available in both. CONCLUSION: Approximately 600 applications related to plastic surgery have been developed, but only about 20 of these have clinical applicability. The development of these applications in other languages is needed, facilitating their use in other countries.

Youth mental health interventions via mobile phones: a scoping review.

Mobile phone technologies have been hailed as a promising means for delivering mental health interventions to youth and adolescents, the age group with high cell phone penetration and with the onset of 75% of all lifetime mental disorders. Despite the growing evidence in physical health and adult mental health, however, little information is available about how mobile phones are implemented to deliver mental health services to the younger population. The purpose of this scoping study was to map the current state of knowledge regarding mobile mental health (mMental Health) for young people (age 13-24 years), identify gaps, and consider implications for future research. Seventeen articles that met the inclusion criteria provided evidence for mobile phones as a way to engage youth in therapeutic activities. The flexibility, interactivity, and spontaneous nature of mobile communications were also considered advantageous in encouraging persistent and continual access to care outside clinical settings. Four gaps in current knowledge were identified: the scarcity of studies conducted in low and middle income countries, the absence of information about the real-life feasibility of mobile tools, the need to address the issue of technical and health literacy of both young users and health professionals, and the need for critical discussion regarding diverse ethical issues associated with mobile phone use. We suggest that mMental Health researchers and clinicians should carefully consider the ethical issues related to patient-practitioner relationship, best practices, and the logic of self-surveillance.

Exposição às radiações eletromagnéticas não ionizantes decorrentes da telefonia celular e efeitos à saúde / Exposure to non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation resulting from cellular and health effects

O crescimento da Telefonia Celular (TC) e, portanto, do número de Estações Radiobase (ERB), que estabelecem a comunicação com os aparelhos celulares, ampliou a aplicabilidade de serviços decorrentes desta tecnologia sem fio. Embora apresente benefícios para o estilo atual de vida, a TC tem gerado preocupações sobre os possíveis efeitos adversos à saúde das populações expostas às radiações eletromagnéticas não ionizantes (RENI). Estão inclusos nesta tese o conjunto de três artigos com o objetivo geral de investigar a associação entre exposição a radiações eletromagnéticas não ionizantes decorrentes das ERB/TC e efeitos à saúde. Em estudo de corte transversal, foram aplicados 440 questionários por meio de entrevistas domiciliares em dois bairros na cidade de Salvador/BA...

The growth of mobile phone and therefore the number of base station, which establish communication with mobile devices, has extended the applicability of services under this wireless technology. Although it has benefits for the current lifestyle, mobile phone has generated concerns about possible adverse health effects of exposure to non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation populations. The set of three articles are included in this thesis with the overall objective to investigate the association between exposure to non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation arising from base station of the mobile phone and health symptoms. In cross-sectional study, 440 questionnaires were applied by means of interviews in two neighborhoods in Salvador/BA...

Gaming, texting, learning? Teaching engineering ethics through students' lived experiences with technology.

This paper examines how young peoples' lived experiences with personal technologies can be used to teach engineering ethics in a way which facilitates greater engagement with the subject. Engineering ethics can be challenging to teach: as a form of practical ethics, it is framed around future workplace experience in a professional setting which students are assumed to have no prior experience of. Yet the current generations of engineering students, who have been described as 'digital natives', do however have immersive personal experience with digital technologies; and experiential learning theory describes how students learn ethics more successfully when they can draw on personal experience which give context and meaning to abstract theories. This paper reviews current teaching practices in engineering ethics; and examines young people's engagement with technologies including cell phones, social networking sites, digital music and computer games to identify social and ethical elements of these practices which have relevance for the engineering ethics curricula. From this analysis three case studies are developed to illustrate how facets of the use of these technologies can be drawn on to teach topics including group work and communication; risk and safety; and engineering as social experimentation. Means for bridging personal experience and professional ethics when teaching these cases are discussed. The paper contributes to research and curriculum development in engineering ethics education, and to wider education research about methods of teaching 'the net generation'.

Mobile-centric ambient intelligence in health- and homecare-anticipating ethical and legal challenges.

Ambient Intelligence provides the potential for vast and varied applications, bringing with it both promise and peril. The development of Ambient Intelligence applications poses a number of ethical and legal concerns. Mobile devices are increasingly evolving into tools to orientate in and interact with the environment, thus introducing a user-centric approach to Ambient Intelligence. The MINAmI (Micro-Nano integrated platform for transverse Ambient Intelligence applications) FP6 research project aims at creating core technologies for mobile device based Ambient Intelligence services. In this paper we assess five scenarios that demonstrate forthcoming MINAmI-based applications focusing on healthcare, assistive technology, homecare, and everyday life in general. A legal and ethical analysis of the scenarios is conducted, which reveals various conflicting interests. The paper concludes with some thoughts on drafting ethical guidelines for Ambient Intelligence applications.