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Comer L, Donelle L, Hiebert B, Smith MJ, Kothari A, Stranges S, Gilliland J, Long J, Burkell J, Shelley JJ, Hall J, Shelley J, Cooke T, Ngole Dione M, Facca D. Short- and Long-Term Predicted and Witnessed Consequences of Digital Surveillance During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2024; 10:e47154. [PMID: 38788212 PMCID: PMC11129783 DOI: 10.2196/47154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the deployment of digital technologies for public health surveillance globally. The rapid development and use of these technologies have curtailed opportunities to fully consider their potential impacts (eg, for human rights, civil liberties, privacy, and marginalization of vulnerable groups). OBJECTIVE We conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed and gray literature to identify the types and applications of digital technologies used for surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic and the predicted and witnessed consequences of digital surveillance. METHODS Our methodology was informed by the 5-stage methodological framework to guide scoping reviews: identifying the research question; identifying relevant studies; study selection; charting the data; and collating, summarizing, and reporting the findings. We conducted a search of peer-reviewed and gray literature published between December 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020. We focused on the first year of the pandemic to provide a snapshot of the questions, concerns, findings, and discussions emerging from peer-reviewed and gray literature during this pivotal first year of the pandemic. Our review followed the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) reporting guidelines. RESULTS We reviewed a total of 147 peer-reviewed and 79 gray literature publications. Based on our analysis of these publications, we identified a total of 90 countries and regions where digital technologies were used for public health surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the most frequently used technologies included mobile phone apps, location-tracking technologies, drones, temperature-scanning technologies, and wearable devices. We also found that the literature raised concerns regarding the implications of digital surveillance in relation to data security and privacy, function creep and mission creep, private sector involvement in surveillance, human rights, civil liberties, and impacts on marginalized groups. Finally, we identified recommendations for ethical digital technology design and use, including proportionality, transparency, purpose limitation, protecting privacy and security, and accountability. CONCLUSIONS A wide range of digital technologies was used worldwide to support public health surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of our analysis highlight the importance of considering short- and long-term consequences of digital surveillance not only during the COVID-19 pandemic but also for future public health crises. These findings also demonstrate the ways in which digital surveillance has rendered visible the shifting and blurred boundaries between public health surveillance and other forms of surveillance, particularly given the ubiquitous nature of digital surveillance. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) RR2-https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053962.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigha Comer
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Lorie Donelle
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- School of Nursing, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Bradley Hiebert
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Maxwell J Smith
- School of Health Studies, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Anita Kothari
- School of Health Studies, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Saverio Stranges
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Departments of Family Medicine and Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- The Africa Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Jason Gilliland
- Department of Geography and Environment, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Jed Long
- Department of Geography and Environment, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Jacquelyn Burkell
- Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | | | - Jodi Hall
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - James Shelley
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Tommy Cooke
- Surveillance Studies Centre, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | | | - Danica Facca
- Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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2
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Clark EC, Neumann S, Hopkins S, Kostopoulos A, Hagerman L, Dobbins M. Changes to Public Health Surveillance Methods Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2024; 10:e49185. [PMID: 38241067 PMCID: PMC10837764 DOI: 10.2196/49185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Public health surveillance plays a vital role in informing public health decision-making. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 caused a widespread shift in public health priorities. Global efforts focused on COVID-19 monitoring and contact tracing. Existing public health programs were interrupted due to physical distancing measures and reallocation of resources. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic intersected with advancements in technologies that have the potential to support public health surveillance efforts. OBJECTIVE This scoping review aims to explore emergent public health surveillance methods during the early COVID-19 pandemic to characterize the impact of the pandemic on surveillance methods. METHODS A scoping search was conducted in multiple databases and by scanning key government and public health organization websites from March 2020 to January 2022. Published papers and gray literature that described the application of new or revised approaches to public health surveillance were included. Papers that discussed the implications of novel public health surveillance approaches from ethical, legal, security, and equity perspectives were also included. The surveillance subject, method, location, and setting were extracted from each paper to identify trends in surveillance practices. Two public health epidemiologists were invited to provide their perspectives as peer reviewers. RESULTS Of the 14,238 unique papers, a total of 241 papers describing novel surveillance methods and changes to surveillance methods are included. Eighty papers were review papers and 161 were single studies. Overall, the literature heavily featured papers detailing surveillance of COVID-19 transmission (n=187). Surveillance of other infectious diseases was also described, including other pathogens (n=12). Other public health topics included vaccines (n=9), mental health (n=11), substance use (n=4), healthy nutrition (n=1), maternal and child health (n=3), antimicrobial resistance (n=2), and misinformation (n=6). The literature was dominated by applications of digital surveillance, for example, by using big data through mobility tracking and infodemiology (n=163). Wastewater surveillance was also heavily represented (n=48). Other papers described adaptations to programs or methods that existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (n=9). The scoping search also found 109 papers that discuss the ethical, legal, security, and equity implications of emerging surveillance methods. The peer reviewer public health epidemiologists noted that additional changes likely exist, beyond what has been reported and available for evidence syntheses. CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated advancements in surveillance and the adoption of new technologies, especially for digital and wastewater surveillance methods. Given the investments in these systems, further applications for public health surveillance are likely. The literature for surveillance methods was dominated by surveillance of infectious diseases, particularly COVID-19. A substantial amount of literature on the ethical, legal, security, and equity implications of these emerging surveillance methods also points to a need for cautious consideration of potential harm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C Clark
- National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Sophie Neumann
- National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Stephanie Hopkins
- National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Alyssa Kostopoulos
- National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Leah Hagerman
- National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Maureen Dobbins
- National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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Donelle L, Comer L, Hiebert B, Hall J, Shelley JJ, Smith MJ, Kothari A, Burkell J, Stranges S, Cooke T, Shelley JM, Gilliland J, Ngole M, Facca D. Use of digital technologies for public health surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review. Digit Health 2023; 9:20552076231173220. [PMID: 37214658 PMCID: PMC10196539 DOI: 10.1177/20552076231173220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, a variety of digital technologies have been leveraged for public health surveillance worldwide. However, concerns remain around the rapid development and deployment of digital technologies, how these technologies have been used, and their efficacy in supporting public health goals. Following the five-stage scoping review framework, we conducted a scoping review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature to identify the types and nature of digital technologies used for surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic and the success of these measures. We conducted a search of the peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 1 December 2019 and 31 December 2020 to provide a snapshot of questions, concerns, discussions, and findings emerging at this pivotal time. A total of 147 peer-reviewed and 79 grey literature publications reporting on digital technology use for surveillance across 90 countries and regions were retained for analysis. The most frequently used technologies included mobile phone devices and applications, location tracking technologies, drones, temperature scanning technologies, and wearable devices. The utility of digital technologies for public health surveillance was impacted by factors including uptake of digital technologies across targeted populations, technological capacity and errors, scope, validity and accuracy of data, guiding legal frameworks, and infrastructure to support technology use. Our findings raise important questions around the value of digital surveillance for public health and how to ensure successful use of technologies while mitigating potential harms not only in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also during other infectious disease outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorie Donelle
- College of Nursing, University of South
Carolina, USA
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, Canada
| | - Leigha Comer
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, Canada
| | - Brad Hiebert
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, Canada
| | - Jodi Hall
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, Canada
| | | | | | - Anita Kothari
- School of Health Studies, Western University, Canada
| | - Jacquelyn Burkell
- Faculty of Information and Media
Studies, Western University, Canada
| | - Saverio Stranges
- Schulich School of Medicine &
Dentistry, Western University, Canada
| | - Tommy Cooke
- Surveillance Studies Centre, Queen's University, Canada
| | - James M. Shelley
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, Canada
| | - Jason Gilliland
- Department of Geography and
Environment, Western University, Canada
| | - Marionette Ngole
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, Canada
| | - Danica Facca
- Faculty of Information and Media
Studies, Western University, Canada
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Saheb T, Sabour E, Qanbary F, Saheb T. Delineating privacy aspects of COVID tracing applications embedded with proximity measurement technologies & digital technologies. TECHNOLOGY IN SOCIETY 2022; 69:101968. [PMID: 35342210 PMCID: PMC8934188 DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2022.101968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
As the COVID-19 pandemic expanded over the globe, governments implemented a series of technological measures to prevent the disease's spread. The development of the COVID Tracing Application (CTA) was one of these measures. In this study, we employed bibliometric and topic-based content analysis to determine the most significant entities and research topics. Additionally, we identified significant privacy concerns posed by CTAs, which gather, store, and analyze data in partnership with large technology corporations using proximity measurement technologies, artificial intelligence, and blockchain. We examined a series of key privacy threats identified in our study. These privacy risks include anti-democratic and discriminatory behaviors, politicization of care, derogation of human rights, techno governance, citizen distrust and refusal to adopt, citizen surveillance, and mandatory legislation of the apps' installation. Finally, sixteen research gaps were identified. Then, based on the identified theoretical gaps, we recommended fourteen prospective study strands. Theoretically, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge about the privacy of mobile health applications that are embedded with cutting-edge technologies and are employed during global pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahereh Saheb
- Tarbiat Modares University, Management Studies Center, Tarbiat Modares University, Jalal Al Ahmad, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elham Sabour
- Tarbiat Modares University, Information Technology Management- Business Intelligence, Iran
| | - Fatimah Qanbary
- Tarbiat Modares University, Information Technology Management- Business Intelligence, Iran
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5
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Developing a Behavior Change Framework for Pandemic Prevention and Control in Public Spaces in China. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14042452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Preventive behavior, such as hand hygiene, facemask wearing, and social distancing, plays a vital role in containing the spread of viruses during pandemics. However, people in many parts of the world usually encounter difficulties adhering to this behavior due to various causes. Thus, this article aims to develop a research framework and propose design strategies to prompt individuals’ behavior change during pandemics. Initially, we integrated a literature review and a structured interview (n = 22) to ascertain the core factors impacting behavior change during pandemics. These factors were categorized into four aspects: perceptional factors (attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavior control, risk perceptions); social factors (knowledge and information dissemination, governmental regulations); physical factors (tools and facilities and surveillance); and sociocultural factor (cultural contexts). Then, a theoretical framework with antecedents was developed to reveal behavior intention and formation process. After that, an empirical study was carried out to test the research framework through a questionnaire survey (n = 549). The research findings indicated that all derived factors could directly or indirectly affect individuals’ preventive behavior during pandemics. This article strives to provide valuable insights for different stakeholders when coping with pandemic situations.
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6
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Boersma K, Büscher M, Fonio C. Crisis management, surveillance, and digital ethics in the COVID‐19 era. JOURNAL OF CONTINGENCIES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT 2022. [PMCID: PMC9111290 DOI: 10.1111/1468-5973.12398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
In this special issue, we reflect on the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) crisis and the containment measures put in place by formal authorities, combining both theoretically and empirically three different fields of study: crisis management, surveillance studies, and digital ethics. The special issue shows how the intersection of these fields provides a great opportunity to better understand challenges that are of critical importance to today's societies, as well as opening up new avenues for innovation. The focus of this special issue is to unpack and understand the debate on crisis management measures, surveillance, and ethical consequences during the ongoing, enduring COVID‐19 crisis. Building on crisis management literature, surveillance studies, and digital ethics research the articles included in this special issue reflect on issues of governance, space, as well as moral and ethical considerations, which were often overlooked in the public discourse in relation to the COVID‐19 pandemic. The special issue provides a deeper and clearer understanding of intended and unintended ethical and political consequences of crisis management practices, such as a politics of visibility that makes the operation of power invisible and fails to combat inequality, whilst ignoring the potential positive power of digital data and surveillance for empowerment and resilience
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Affiliation(s)
- Kees Boersma
- Department of Organization Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Science, Section of Science, Business and Innovation Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Amsterdam Netherlands
| | - Monika Büscher
- Department of Sociology, Centre for Mobilities Research Lancaster University Lancaster UK
| | - Chiara Fonio
- Departement of Organization Sciences Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Netherlands
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7
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Grinin L, Grinin A, Korotayev A. COVID-19 pandemic as a trigger for the acceleration of the cybernetic revolution, transition from e-government to e-state, and change in social relations. TECHNOLOGICAL FORECASTING AND SOCIAL CHANGE 2022; 175:121348. [PMID: 34789950 PMCID: PMC8585613 DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Among many influences that the pandemic has and will have on society and the World System as a whole, one of the most important is the acceleration of the start of a new technological wave and a new technological paradigm in the near future. This impact is determined by the growing need for the development of a number of areas in medicine, bio- and nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and others, which we denote as "MANBRIC convergence". It is shown that the experience of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic has confirmed that the final phase of the Cybernetic Revolution will begin in the 2030s at the intersection of a number of medical, bio, digital and several other technologies, with medical needs as an integrating link. Among the multitude of self-regulating systems in the economy and life (which, in our opinion, will flourish during the Cybernetic Revolution) socio-technical self-regulating systems (SSSs) will play a special role. Thus, COVID-19 becomes a powerful impetus not only in terms of accelerating technological development and approaching the final phase of the Cybernetic Revolution, but also in changing sociopolitical (and socio-administrative) relations in the forthcoming decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonid Grinin
- HSE University, Moscow; Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences,Russia
| | | | - Andrey Korotayev
- HSE University, Moscow; Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia
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8
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Liu J, Zhao H. Privacy lost: Appropriating surveillance technology in China's fight against COVID-19. BUSINESS HORIZONS 2021; 64:743-756. [PMID: 34629478 PMCID: PMC8486272 DOI: 10.1016/j.bushor.2021.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
China's unprecedented measures to mobilize its diverse surveillance apparatus played a key part in the country's successful containment of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Critics worldwide believe these invasive technologies, in the hands of an authoritarian regime, could trample the right to privacy and curb fundamental civil and human rights. However, there is little domestic public resistance in China about technology-related privacy risks during the pandemic. Drawing on academic research and a semantic network analysis of media frames, we explore the contextual political and cultural belief systems that determine public support for authorities' ever-expanding access to personal data. We interrogate the longer-term trajectories-including the guardian model of governance, sociotechnical imagination of technology, and communitarian values-by which the understanding of technology and privacy in times of crisis has been shaped. China's actions shed light on the general acceptance of the handover of personal data for anti-epidemic purposes in East Asian societies like South Korea and Singapore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- Department of Communication, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hui Zhao
- Department of Strategic Communication, Lund University, Helsingborg, Sweden
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9
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Khatib EJ, Perles Roselló MJ, Miranda-Páez J, Giralt V, Barco R. Mass Tracking in Cellular Networks for the COVID-19 Pandemic Monitoring. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 21:3424. [PMID: 34069091 PMCID: PMC8155839 DOI: 10.3390/s21103424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The year 2020 was marked by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. After months of uncontrolled spread worldwide, a clear conclusion is that controlling the mobility of the general population can slow down the propagation of the pandemic. Tracking the location of the population enables better use of mobility limitation policies and the prediction of potential hotspots, as well as improved alert services to individuals that may have been exposed to the virus. With mobility in their core functionality and a high degree of penetration of mobile devices within the general population, cellular networks are an invaluable asset for this purpose. This paper shows an overview of the possibilities offered by cellular networks for the massive tacking of the population at different levels. The major privacy concerns are also reviewed and a specific use case is shown, correlating mobility and number of cases in the province of Málaga (Spain).
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil J. Khatib
- Department of Communications Engineering, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain;
| | | | - Jesús Miranda-Páez
- Department of Psychobiology and Methodology of Behavioral Sciences, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain;
| | - Victoriano Giralt
- Digital Transformation Vicerectorate, Universidad de Málaga, Innovation Director, 29071 Málaga, Spain;
| | - Raquel Barco
- Department of Communications Engineering, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain;
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10
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Thomas MJ, Lal V, Baby AK, Rabeeh Vp M, James A, Raj AK. Can technological advancements help to alleviate COVID-19 pandemic? a review. J Biomed Inform 2021; 117:103787. [PMID: 33862231 PMCID: PMC8056973 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbi.2021.103787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing, and the innovative and efficient contributions of the emerging modern technologies to the pandemic responses are too early and cannot be completely quantified at this moment. Digital technologies are not a final solution but are the tools that facilitate a quick and effective pandemic response. In accordance, mobile applications, robots and drones, social media platforms (such as search engines, Twitter, and Facebook), television, and associated technologies deployed in tackling the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak are discussed adequately, emphasizing the current-state-of-art. A collective discussion on reported literature, press releases, and organizational claims are reviewed. This review addresses and highlights how these effective modern technological solutions can aid in healthcare (involving contact tracing, real-time isolation monitoring/screening, disinfection, quarantine enforcement, syndromic surveillance, and mental health), communication (involving remote assistance, information sharing, and communication support), logistics, tourism, and hospitality. The study discusses the benefits of these digital technologies in curtailing the pandemic and 'how' the different sectors adapted to these in a shorter period. Social media and television's role in ensuring global connectivity and serving as a common platform to share authentic information among the general public were summarized. The World Health Organization and Governments' role globally in-line with the prevention of propagation of false news, spreading awareness, and diminishing the severity of the COVID-19 was discussed. Furthermore, this collective review is helpful to investigators, health departments, Government organizations, and policymakers alike to facilitate a quick and effective pandemic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mervin Joe Thomas
- Dept. of Mechanical Engg., National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kerala 673601, India
| | - Vishnu Lal
- Dept. of Mechanical Engg., National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kerala 673601, India
| | - Ajith Kurian Baby
- Dept. of Mechanical Engg., National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kerala 673601, India
| | - Muhammad Rabeeh Vp
- School of Materials Science and Engg., National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kerala 673601, India
| | - Alosh James
- Solar Energy Center, Dept. of Mechanical Engg., National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kerala 673601, India
| | - Arun K Raj
- Dept. of Mechanical Engg., Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Maharashtra 400076, India.
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11
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Platt M, Hasselgren A, Román-Belmonte JM, Tuler de Oliveira M, De la Corte-Rodríguez H, Delgado Olabarriaga S, Rodríguez-Merchán EC, Mackey TK. Test, Trace, and Put on the Blockchain?: A Viewpoint Evaluating the Use of Decentralized Systems for Algorithmic Contact Tracing to Combat a Global Pandemic. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2021; 7:e26460. [PMID: 33727212 PMCID: PMC8108567 DOI: 10.2196/26460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The enormous pressure of the increasing case numbers experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a variety of novel digital systems designed to provide solutions to unprecedented challenges in public health. The field of algorithmic contact tracing, in particular, an area of research that had previously received limited attention, has moved into the spotlight as a crucial factor in containing the pandemic. The use of digital tools to enable more robust and expedited contact tracing and notification, while maintaining privacy and trust in the data generated, is viewed as key to identifying chains of transmission and close contacts, and, consequently, to enabling effective case investigations. Scaling these tools has never been more critical, as global case numbers have exceeded 100 million, as many asymptomatic patients remain undetected, and as COVID-19 variants begin to emerge around the world. In this context, there is increasing attention on blockchain technology as a part of systems for enhanced digital algorithmic contact tracing and reporting. By analyzing the literature that has emerged from this trend, the common characteristics of the designs proposed become apparent. An archetypal system architecture can be derived, taking these characteristics into consideration. However, assessing the utility of this architecture using a recognized evaluation framework shows that the added benefits and features of blockchain technology do not provide significant advantages over conventional centralized systems for algorithmic contact tracing and reporting. From our study, it, therefore, seems that blockchain technology may provide a more significant benefit in other areas of public health beyond contact tracing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Platt
- Department of Informatics, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anton Hasselgren
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Juan Manuel Román-Belmonte
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hospital Central de la Cruz Roja San José y Santa Adela, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | - E Carlos Rodríguez-Merchán
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Osteoarticular Surgery Research, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research, IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain
| | - Tim Ken Mackey
- Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, School of Medicine, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- BlockLAB, San Diego Supercomputer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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12
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Brall C, Berlin C, Zwahlen M, Ormond KE, Egger M, Vayena E. Public willingness to participate in personalized health research and biobanking: A large-scale Swiss survey. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249141. [PMID: 33793624 PMCID: PMC8016315 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper reports survey findings on the Swiss public's willingness, attitudes, and concerns regarding personalized health research participation by providing health information and biological material. The survey reached a sample of 15,106 Swiss residents, from which we received 5,156 responses (34.1% response rate). The majority of respondents were aware of research using human biological samples (71.0%) and held a positive opinion towards this type of research (62.4%). Of all respondents, 53.6% indicated that they would be willing to participate in a personalized health research project. Willingness to participate was higher in younger, higher educated, non-religious respondents with a background in the health sector. Respondents were more willing to provide 'traditional' types of health data, such as health questionnaires, blood or biological samples, as opposed to social media or app-related data. All respondents valued the return of individual research results, including risk for diseases for which no treatment is available. Our findings highlight that alongside general positive attitudes towards personalized health research using data and samples, respondents have concerns about data privacy and re-use. Concerns included potential discrimination, confidentiality breaches, and misuse of data for commercial or marketing purposes. The findings of this large-scale survey can inform Swiss research institutions and assist policymakers with adjusting practices and developing policies to better meet the needs and preferences of the public. Efforts in this direction could focus on research initiatives engaging in transparent communication, education, and engagement activities, to increase public understanding and insight into data sharing activities, and ultimately strengthen personalized health research efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Brall
- Health Ethics and Policy Lab, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Berlin
- Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marcel Zwahlen
- Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Kelly E Ormond
- Health Ethics and Policy Lab, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Genetics and Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Matthias Egger
- Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Effy Vayena
- Health Ethics and Policy Lab, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Kim ES, Chung JB. Korean mothers' morality in the wake of COVID-19 contact-tracing surveillance. Soc Sci Med 2021; 270:113673. [PMID: 33453628 PMCID: PMC7833862 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The Korean government collects and releases sociodemographic information about people infected with COVID-19, their travel histories, and whether or not the patients wore masks. Korean mothers then upload this information on the boards of online groups called “mom cafes.” Based upon a digital ethnography of 15 “mom cafes,” we examine how Korean mothers understand the travel histories of virus patients and explore the relationships between morality and materiality in the context of infectious disease surveillance. The main findings reveal that mom cafe mothers form moral personhood based on information gathered about artifacts, places, and the mobility of patients. They tie patients' travel histories inextricably to moral identities. Non-maleficence is central to Korean mothers’ morality. This morality appears through the material discourses of artifacts, places, and mobility. A face mask becomes one such hallmark of morality. It is a requisite for moral persons. Those who visit crowded places, such as churches, clubs, and room salons, become immoral because they can be easily infected and spread the virus to their families and communities. To mom cafe mothers, mobile patients, such as clubbers, appear less moral than those who self-quarantine due to the high infection rate of COVID-19. We conclude that morality in this context involves the materiality of artifacts, a sense of place, and the spatial mobility of people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Sung Kim
- Department of Sociology, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
| | - Ji-Bum Chung
- School of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), UNIST-gil 50, Ulsan, 689-798, Republic of Korea.
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Johnson WG. Using Precision Public Health to Manage Climate Change: Opportunities, Challenges, and Health Justice. THE JOURNAL OF LAW, MEDICINE & ETHICS : A JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LAW, MEDICINE & ETHICS 2020; 48:681-693. [PMID: 33404333 DOI: 10.1177/1073110520979374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Amid public health concerns over climate change, "precision public health" (PPH) is emerging in next generation approaches to practice. These novel methods promise to augment public health operations by using ever larger and more robust health datasets combined with new tools for collecting and analyzing data. Precision strategies to protecting the public health could more effectively or efficiently address the systemic threats of climate change, but may also propagate or exacerbate health disparities for the populations most vulnerable in a changing climate. How PPH interventions collect and aggregate data, decide what to measure, and analyze data pose potential issues around privacy, neglecting social determinants of health, and introducing algorithmic bias into climate responses. Adopting a health justice framework, guided by broader social and climate justice tenets, can reveal principles and policy actions which may guide more responsible implementation of PPH in climate responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter G Johnson
- Walter G. Johnson, J.D. M.S.T.P., is a research fellow at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University. He received a J.D. from the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law in 2020 and a Master of Science and Technology Policy (M.S.T.P.) from Arizona State University in 2017
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Abstract
The way we conceive our privacy and the importance which we attach to the protection of our personal data has been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. By first providing legal insights on the general discussion about the balance between the fundamental right to privacy and the general public interest, this article describes the most critical and controversial processing operations employed by states to contain the pandemic and mitigate its effects. A focus on the increase in cybercrime during the pandemic then provides insights on the relevant risks and remedies for the security of personal data.
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